Winning Her Back
by on sleepless roads
Summary: After finding out that Ga Eul isn't too willing to let him back into her life after four years of silence, the Casanova sets out on a mission to win back his country bumpkin. LAST CHAPTER UP, loves.
1. Chapter 1

She imagined letters. Lots of them. Everyday, if possible. She imagined roses and birthday calls and surprises. Ok so maybe, letters everyday sounded romantic and all but they were not his style, so she forgave that. The roses were forgivable as well since you give roses to people you love and as far as she can remember, he never really said that. So again, forgiven. The surprises were forgiven as well since, again, they weren't Yi Jeong. But the birthday call? The stupid birthday call? (Or birthday e-mail, whatever) was just too much. What, he was so busy in Sweden that he couldn't even pick up his phone and dial her number once a year? Yeah, right. She doesn't tell this to anybody because, well, what right, really, did she have in demanding these sorts of things? She wasn't his girlfriend. The single thing that happened between them that can be remotely called as 'commitment' was his promise before he left, which led her to expect such things from him, that she would be the first person he looks for, if she hasn't found her soulmate yet. Four years ago, she found that romantic and epic, but now? She doesn't even know if he means it that way! It could mean anything right? It could mean that he just wanted to see her, that's all. Maybe? Or may be he just didn't mean it.. She'll probably just get a phone call from Jan Di or Woo Bin sunbae that Yi Jeong has arrived and they were having lunch and that she should follow. She told herself these things everyday for the past three years. The first year was spent wishing, expect and getting disappointed. But she was Chu Ga Eul, she believed in love and soulmates and destiny, so even if she told everyone that she's moved on, she still checks her e-mail almost everyday, she still double checks her mailbox, thinking she missed something, she still gets excited everytime the F2 or Jan Di mentions the word 'surprise' but it usually just turns out to be something from Jun Pyo sunbae or something Jan Di cooked up for her and the two sunbaes, and she still stays up until the last minute of her birthday, clutching her cellphone to her chest and silently praying that it'll vibrate. It never did. She will shamelessly admit that she has been waiting for these things up until today, the day he was set to return. Originally, she didn't want to know the exact date. She didn't want to expect anymore. But Woo Bin sunbae called her as soon as he got the news.

"_Hello?" She said a little too harshly. It was just right after her class, the children started playing with clay, of course she was grumpy! Having to be reminded of him and his stupid promise was enough to ruin her day these days._

"_Well, I'm glad to hear from you too, Ga Eul-yang." It was Woo Bin sunbae. She immediately felt guilty about answering that way. The remaing F2 had been nothing but nice to her these past four years. Always offering to fly her to Sweden or to fly there themselves and kick Yi Jeong's ass (as friends, of course) for not calling her at all._

"_Sorry, Woo Bin sunbae. I just had a bad day. What is it?" she said, a little more politely._

"_Bad day? Do we need to to-" he started, but Ga Eul cut him immediately off._

"_Don't be so dramatic Nothing happened. " she said, playfully teasing him._

"_Oh, okay. Anyway, the reason I called was to tell you good news."_

"_Good news?" she asked curiouosly._

"_Yi Jeong's coming back. The day after tomorrow."_

So here she was. On her way to work and trying to have a nice day. She just saw Jun Pyo sunbae's interview and that put a smile on her face, knowing that Jan Di and him would be reunited soon. See, how could she _not_ believe in soulmates when her best friend is living proof that it exists?

She was bitter. Yeah, that was the word. Bitter about his silence, his coldness and bitter about the fact that while she was in her bedroom, crying her eyes out about him, he was probably with some Swedish girl (or more) and having the time of his life (Okay, she doesn't know that for sure but, still. He _is _a Casanova). It was a good thing her students always brightened up her day, it's been two days since they started to play around with clay and she was feeling slightly less bitter about that everytime she saw their smiling faces.

"You're still putting too much pressure on your hands." An all too familiar voice said, she looked up, it couldn't be…

"Yi Jeong sunbae!"


	2. Chapter 2

So Yi Jeong sat on the plane, awaiting their landing. He looked out the window and can vaguely see his hometown already. Seoul had a population of more or less 10 million making it South Korea's largest city. Thinking about that, the Casanova had to smile. 10 million people and his thoughts contained only one. He was excited to see only one. He longed for only one. 10 million people and all he could think about is Chu Ga Eul, his country bumpkin.

Four years is a long time to stay gone, he knew that. But he wasn't like Jun Pyo who went home every chance he got. He didn't call Ga Eul almost every week like he knows Jun Pyo did with Jan Di. He was So Yi Jeong who believed that calling a girl first meant weakness and that nice girls were bad news. Yeah, that's why he didn't call her. _Keep trying to convince yourself, Yi Jeong._

"Young Master, we have arrived." He looked up at the messenger and gave a small nod. He was here, he was home. He knew the hell his friends have got in store for him when they saw him. Yeah, he just 'pretended' not to have received Woo Bin's e-mails about how he should man up and call Ga Eul and he just 'pretended' not to understand Ji Hu everytime he subtlety gave out hints about Ga Eul during their phonecalls. But what was he supposed to do? Ga Eul made him feel things he has never experienced in his life. She was sweet, innocent and pure. And he was a Casanova. In what universe did he deserve her?

But, yes, four years is a long time to stay gone. Four years of thinking about no one but Ga Eul has been nothing but torture for Yi Jeong knowing that thinking about her was all he could do. But the four years was up and he was home. He was ready. A lot of thinking finally paid up and made him realize that he was scared all along. He didn't call because he knew Ga Eul's voice would weaken his knees (Her _'sunbae'_ has been proven to do such thing). He didn't come home at all because seeing Ga Eul's face was even worse than hearing her voice. He was positive that he wouldn't have gone back to Sweden if he did come home and he would hate himself for that because he knew he'd disappoint Ga Eul. Finally, he didn't send anything or even e-mail her on special occasions not because he wasn't sure about what he felt for her, because in the back of his mind, the part that wasn't as thick as the others, he knew that he has found his soulmate in her, but because he didn't want to hold Ga Eul back from finding _her _soulmate. But now he knew better, they were each other's soulmates. Four years ago, he was too dumb to even acknowledge that thought but not anymore. He knew that Ga Eul was-is-in his life for a reason and he wasn't going to let some guy (if she has met one) get in the way of that. He was ready to be _that _man for Ga Eul.

"Annyeong." Yi Jeong tried to keep his cool. He couldn't lose it right in front of Ga Eul and all these kids. He saw her cover the mouth of the little girl who called him her boyfriend. So that's what he was? He smirked.

She walked up to him, giving him a slight smile.

"Sunbae, when did you arrive?" she asked, he looked at her weirdly. Didn't she remember his promise?

"I just came in, Ga Eul-yang. Surely you didn't think I'd forget?" Did she? Now, he was just confused.

"Oh. Right." Was all she said.

_Krrriiingg_

Crap, seriously? It's time already? Now she didn't have an excuse to leave Yi Jeong anymore. What was he doing here anyway? After four years of no communication, what was he doing here? Did he really look for her first? _I am not ready for this!_

"Okay, kids. Go wash your hands and get your bags after. We'll all go out together." The children scrambled on to the other side of the room where the sink was, leaving Ga Eul and Yi Jeong alone on one side of the room.

"Ga Eul-yang," he started. _Damn, that voice! _ "let's eat out once your done here." He said it as if he was sure that she would go. That, for some reason, irked Ga Eul. He's always been like this but today was just different for her. _Of course it is, _she thought, _four years can make a galaxy of differences._

"I can't, sunbae. I have a…" Crap, what was she supposed to say? She was free as a bird today! _Think, Ga Eul, think… _"a date." She said the word even before she thought about it. Date?! She hasn't had a date since Jan Di planned her disaster of a blind date 2 years ago! How was she going to get away with this?

The look on Yi Jeong's face as she said that word was, if anything, priceless. _Date? She goes on dates? But-_ his train of thought was disturbed by his phone ringing.

"Hello?!" he answered.

"My bro! You're back right? Come meet us for Jun Pyo's proposal!" It was Woo Bin. Damn, he forgot about that! He needed to go. How was he going to figure out what was up with Ga Eul. He hung up and turned back to her.

"Do you need to go, sunbae?" she said, with that smile again. _Stop doing that!_

"Ah, yes. Jun Pyo's proposal to Jan Di…" he answered, looking at her curiously. This was not how he thought his homecoming would be.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" her eyes lit up. He missed that.

"Send my congratulations to them." She said, turning to her students to see if they were ready to go. They were. She turned back to him.

"I have to go now, sunbae. You should too. I'll see you soon." She waved and led her class out the door.

_What the hell just happened?_

Ga Eul breathed a sigh of relief once she was out the door. That was hard! Trying to keep her cool while really wanting to hug him so tight that he wouldn't be able to go anymore was an exasperating thing to do. But she did pretty good, she thinks. The look on Yi Jeong's face when she said she had a date was…not a look you often see on the Casanova's face.

Aside from relief, she was also overwhelmed. He came for her! He really did. What did that mean? Was he really back for_ her?_ No, Ga Eul was a different person now. She wasn't going to let this small act of…what was even the word for this? Care? Certainly not love, get in the way of the progress she's made. She was gonna make him regret not calling her on her stupid birthday. Her birthday! Yeah, she needed to get over that.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you for everyone that's been reviewing! I really like hearing what you think. Keep 'em coming! :D

I hope you guys like this one too. :)

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Jun Pyo's proposal to Jan Di got Yi Jeong thinking. Will that ever happen to him and Ga Eul? _Not while she's acting this way, it won't. _What was her deal anyway? Before he left, she was all about love and soulmates and destiny. _Maybe she still is, just not with you anymore. _No! He wasn't going to let that happen. Ga Eul was just playing around with him. But, for what? Did she think he'll like her more if she played hard to get? _How was liking her more even possible?_

"Yi Jeong! We're all going out for dinner. You ready to leave?" Woo Bin called after him. He was still gazing onto the beach after they all pushed Jan Di (and the rest followed) into the water. They were all wet, yes, but it was a lot of fun. The rest were now drying themselves away from the water. He had to bring Ga Eul here soon.

"You okay?" Woo Bin asked when he didn't answer.

"Woo Bin, can I ask you something?" He figured Woo Bin would know what was up with Ga Eul considering he never left Seoul permanently, just a few out of the country trips here and there.

"About Ga Eul yang?" Woo Bin looked at his best friend knowingly.

"How did you know?" he asked, although he probably wasn't that hard to read for someone who knew him since kindergarten.

"You're not that hard to read." _See?_

"She works as a teacher now, you know." Woo Bin continued. Yi Jeong looked at him confusingly, exactly how he looked at Ga Eul when she asked him when he had arrived.

"Of course I knew that, where did you think I was before meeting up with you?" Woo Bin stared at him as if he just grew another head.

"You actually saw her first? For real?"

"Why is that so surprising? I promised her. I told you about that, you idiot." He said, playfully shoving Woo Bin.

"Well, you didn't really show any sign of fulfilling that promise for the past four years." Before, Yi Jeong could ask Woo Bin what he meant by that, Jun Pyo and Ji Hu were already dragging them to the restaurant nearby.

They were all having a pleasant dinner; it was just like old times. Jun Pyo and Jan Di arguing like a married couple, Ji Hu and his usual good-natured, subtle remarks, and Woo Bin with his funny, sometimes inappropriate, comments. The only thing quite off was other group's resident playboy. He talked but not as much as everyone was used to. They just slid it off as jetlag or something.

After dinner, Yi Jeong caught up Jan Di while the others were playing pool nearby. Of course, they also had a F4 lounge here, they had one made in places they frequent. The difference with this one is that it was open, for them to enjoy the night breeze. Jan Di was sitting on the steps of the lounge, where Jun Pyo can watch over her(All together: Awww!:), overlooking the beach.

"Geum Jan Di." The former waitress now turned Med student looked over at her companion.

"Yi Jeong sunbae." She greeted him with a smile and a small nod.

"Condolence, by the way, on having to spend the rest of your life with that moron." He said, looking back at Jun Pyo. Jan Di laughed at one of her boyfriend's oldest friends and gave him a playful shove.

"Yah, Gu Jun Pyo's not that bad…" With saying that, Jun Pyo's voice reached the two.

"_Woo Bin! That was clearly cheating! You want to die?"_

Jan Di and Yi Jeong laughed.

"What was I thinking? Is it too late to get out of this?" she asked no one in particular. Yi Jeong had to laugh at the girl who changed the seemingly unchangeable Gu Jun Pyo.

"So, Yi Jeong sunbae, I'm sure you didn't come here to talk about Jun Pyo. What is it?" she asked.

Yi Jeong looked at her and smiled. "Ga Eul." was all he needed to say.

"Ah, of course. She's doing pretty well now. You should come see her. She works at…" she didn't even get a chance to finish because Yi Jeong cut her off.

"I know where she works! I went there as soon as I got here. Surely she told about my promise before I left?" Jan Di had the same look Woo Bin had earlier.

"You came for her? Well, that's something. Why didn't you bring her here?" She would have loved to have her best friend here with her now. She wonders how Ga Eul is after finding out Yi Jeong actually came through with his promise. _I wonder why she hasn't called yet…_

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. She said she had a…date?" Yi Jeong almost didn't want to say the word. Jan Di choked on the water she was drinking.

"Date? Ga Eul said she had a date?" she asked as soon as she could talk.

"Yes. Is there something wrong?" Jan Di wondered if she should tell him that Ga Eul was lying but decided otherwise. If Ga Eul had to lie to get rid of Yi Jeong, she must have a good reason.

"No. Nothing's wrong." She said, smiling so as to hide her lie. " That Ga Eul sure knows how to make an excuse…" she said under her breath. Yi Jeong thought he heard something.

"What was that?" he asked.

"Oh nothing, nothing." Jan Di said, laughing nervously.

"So what is it to you if Ga Eul has a date?" she mused.

"Well, I was hoping that, you know, when I came back, Ga Eul would…" It was the first time Jan Di ever saw the potter nervous. But she was confused; he didn't contact her at all in four years, why was he acting this way?

"But, Yi Jeong sunbae, did you think Ga Eul would wait for you? Even after what you did?" she asked, with a little more attitude, defending her best friend. Yi Jeong looked at her weirdly. _What did he do?_

"After what I did?"

"You didn't call her at all. She tried to tell us that she wasn't expecting anything from you but I know my best friend. She was really hurt her really bad." She said thoughtfully, briefly glancing at Yi Jeong. What she saw startled her, the look on the Casanova's face was…weird. It was like he was hearing this for the first time. _I hurt her? But…I thought I was doing the right thing. _That's when it dawned on him. Woo Bin and Jan Di's reaction, Ga Eul's new attitude, the reason why Ga Eul was acting that way. She wanted…

Revenge?


	4. Chapter 4

"_Who's it from?"_

"_They said it's from So Yi Jeong!"_

"_The famous potter?"_

"_How does he know her?"_

Ga Eul pretended not to hear her co-teachers as they gossiped about her while passing through the halls. She was sitting at her desk, keeping her back to the door, acting like she was busy with something while waiting for the students, while, in truth, she was just thinking of ways to murder Yi Jeong sunbae without anyone getting suspicious. Running him over with a bike was still an open option. Or maybe now she can run him over with a car, maybe Woo Bin sunbae will let her borrow one of his cars? She'll have to talk to him about that. She looked around the classroom, narrowing her eyes at the dozens of red roses that filled it. What in the world was he thinking?

_Earlier that morning…_

_Ga Eul checked her reflection in the mirror one last time before she left for work. 'Good enough', she thought. She opened her door and almost fell flat on her face because of stumbling into an object that she doesn't remember being there the night before. She bent down and picked up the neatly wrapped gift. She looked at the card, it simply read:_

_Ga Eul yang, _

_Don't say you can resist this._

_Ga Eul frowned at the note. Yi Jeong sunbae left this?_

_She opened the gift and felt her heart skip a beat. Inside was the prettiest headband she has ever seen. She guessed that even after four years he still remembers her favorite way of wearing her hair. It was sequenced with diamonds and the colors were beautiful. It looked like it was the only one made in this world. It reminded her a little bit of the necklace Jun Pyo gave Jan Di. She felt a smile creeping up her face until she remembered the note. He thinks she'll fall right back into his spell after one gift? No way. Ga Eul wasn't going to let one extremely expensive, pulchritudinous gift ruin her chances of ever getting over Yi Jeong. Hesitantly (it was so pretty!), she put the headband back in the box and left it where she found it. If he comes by again sometime today, he'll see she's no longer interested. _

_After the initial shock at his doorstep gift, Ga Eul managed to compose herself on her way to work. she climbed the steps of the school and let herself in. she first noticed that something was not right when the first couple of teachers whom she didn't know kept looking at her. 'Is there something in my face?', she thought to herself, getting weirded out with the attention. As she entered her classroom, she felt the blood rise to her cheeks. There, covering almost half the classroom, were bouquets beautiful red roses, looking like they were freshly picked. She noticed a card on her desk and picked it up to read._

_You're probably smiling to yourself, huh? Silly Ga Eul yang. I'll pick you up after work._

_He was assuming again! This got Ga Eul even more pissed off. Clearly, he thought she hasn't changed at all. Well, she was going to prove him so very, very wrong._

So here she was, conjuring up ways to kill him. Okay, so maybe this wasn't the best way to prove him wrong. But how was she supposed to do this? She doesn't think she can trust herself being in the same room as him, let alone have a heart to heart talk with him….yet.

She heard the bell ring and the familiar noise of the children making their way to their classrooms filled her ears. She stood up and quickly got all the roses she could get and shoved it in one of the cubby holes. There were too many, though, and she only managed to hide half of them when her class came in.

"What are those Miss Chu?" one student asked.

"Are those from your boyfriend? The one who came here?" another one asked.

"Okay, class, uh, never mind all this," she said, gesturing to the remaining roses, "someone must've just left it here by mistake. Let's get started."

The rest of her class went by smoothly, no surprise gifts from returning Casabovas came her way, thankfully. She almost forgot about Yi Jeong's visit up until the time she was cleaning up after her class and saw his note. She quickly grabbed her stuff and ran to her classroom door only to bump into a well-dressed man, she didn't even need to look up to see who it was. His expensive suit said it all.

"Ga Eul yang, were you going to run away from me?" he asked, smiling that heart melting smile. Ga Eul suddenly found the ground interesting, completely avoiding his gaze. This didn't get past him, he placed his finger on her chin and lifted it up. Ga Eul shivered at the sudden physical contact and shoved his hand away.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him, looking anywhere but his eyes.

"I told I'd pick you up." He answered simply, still smiling.

Still not looking at him, she replied

"I don't want to see you." She answered coldly. This shocked Yi Jeong. That didn't sound like Ga Eul at all. Before he could have a chance to reply, Ga Eul scooted past him and ran to the exit of the school. He quickly caught up with her and held her back.

"Can we just talk?" he asked in a tone alien to him and to her.

"No." she answered, walking away again. He called after her but she didn't turn around.

_Don't, Ga Eul, don't, _she kept telling herself. She made it to the exit and was now running down the steps. After stepping down the last flight, he caught up with her. He wrapped his hand around her wrists and turned her around.

"Why do you keep on following me?" (New Caledonia flashback! :) she asked, outraged. He wasn't supposed to do this! He wasn't allowed to make her feel all these sorts of things with just one touch. Not anymore.

"Why do you keep running away?" he fired back, confused as hell on how she was acting. He thought if he apologized, everything would be back to normal, better than normal, even. But she hasn't even stopped long enough for him to do that.

"Haven't you gotten the message yet, sunbae? I don't want to talk to you." She turned her back again, and quickly got in the cab that has just been vacated. She leaned in to her seat and closed her eyes, letting the tears fall freely.

Yi Jeong stared at the cab she just hailed, dumbstruck. He really thought that they'd be Ga Eul and Yi Jeong again, four years ago, after this. Didn't she like the presents? She's always been touched by those kinds of things. He scratched his head in frustration. Just when he thought he's figured things out, she proves him otherwise.

Ga Eul woke up to her phone ringing. After their little meeting, she went home and curled up in her bead and tried to just sleep it all away.

"Jan Di?" she answered after checking the caller ID.

"Ga Eul! Where are you? I've been texting you for hours." Jan Di asked, sounding kind of worried.

"I'm at home. I was sleeping."

"At this time?"

"Yeah, I was tired." That she was.

"Well, okay. I just wanted to check on you. Have you talked with Yi Jeong sunbae?" Jan Di inquired. The name itself seemed to give Ga Eul a headache.

"Uh, no…not really." She lied. Jan Di would just get worried if she told her the whole story so she just didn't mention it. Her best friend was engaged! She didn't need to be worrying about these kinds of things,

"That's weird. I thought that's the first thing he'd do after we got back…" she said.

"I have to go now, Jan Di. Someone's at the door." She said as she heard her doorbell ring.

"Okay, I'll see you soon, alright?" Ga Eul mumbled a 'see you' before hanging up and heading to the door.

As soon as she opened it, she regretted ever waking up. Another bouquet of red roses were in his hand and the gift he left earlier this morning was on the other. Ga Eul felt her whole body tense up as she saw him. he wasn't smiling anymore, at least. He let himself in, not even bothering to greet Ga Eul she closed the door and faced him. _If she was going to do this, better do it now, _she thought. She was done trying to avoid him, she was just going to come right out and say that she doesn't want to be connected to him anymore in anyway and he was just going to have to give up. Yeah, she'd do that.

"I don't like red roses." She said, as her greeting.

"I know what you're trying to do, Ga Eul yang." He said, causing her to look right at him with a confused look on her face.

"What?" she wanted to know.

"You want revenge. You want to be with me but you just want to hurt me first." He said, sounding solemn.

"What?" Ga Eul repeated. Where was he getting this? He thought she was punishing him and then rewards him after? He thought she's going to take him back after a few hurtful words or so? That wasn't her plan. Her plan was to see him regret and then move on with her life. She doesn't want to put herself through that pain again.

"You have it all wrong, sunbae. It's not the same anymore." She told him, trying to keep herself together. She wasn't going to let him see her cry. Not this time.

"Tell me how you really feel." He said, determined. He was going to get her to admit at least this. He was going to take every single thing she has to say if he knew he still has a chance with her. And if he did, he sure as hell wasn't giving up. If he didn't? he sure as hell wasn't giving up, either.

His last statement did it for Ga Eul. She snapped.

"You want to know how I feel. I feel pathetic! I've been feeling pathetic for four years! Why? Because of you, sunbae! You promised me you'd come back for me and yet you didn't call or write or even sent a freaking postcard! Do you know how that felt? Getting up every morning and wishing, in the deepest part of my heart, that somehow you remembered me in Sweden and wrote to me? Do you know how it felt to find an empty mailbox and wishing I never got out of bed? Do you know how pathetic I felt every time you called someone from here but never me? Like I wasn't even worthy of you precious time! Like everything I've been holding on to, everything that I believed in, everything you made me feel was all a lie. Do you know how that feels? And now you waltz back into my life expecting me to forgive you and to just forget everything. Well, I can't. Because it hurt. It still does. Every single day." She finished, not trying to hold back the tears anymore because that was impossible. She just admitted everything to him, without even planning to. She put her heart out there again for him to rip apart. She wasn't going to let him do that anymore. She was going to be strong, for her sake.

Yi Jeong couldn't even find the words. He just stared at her, thinking about everything she said. He was so stupid! How was it that he didn't think of the possibility of her hurting her this way? He couldn't even remember his reasons anymore for avoiding her for four years. All he could think about now are her eyes. The ones that were usually filled with so much love and forgiveness. The ones that were always so bright and alive. But as he looked at her, all he could see was emptiness.

They stood there in silence until Yi Jeong finally got the courage to speak.

"Ga Eul yang, I'm sorry…I didn't think…I-."

"That doesn't really make it any better." She said with such coldness that Yi Jeong felt himself cringe at her words. Silence once again dawned on them as the anger and the pain and the regrets hang between them. They stood like that for a minute or so until Ga Eul spoke.

"You know where the exit is." She said, her eyes blank. Yi Jeong felt weak, hearing such familiar words. He felt like all the air was knocked out of him. Wasn't what Ga Eul was, after all? His air?

Yi Jeong tried to think of more words to make everything alright again. He needed it to be. But as he stared at her cold and lifeless eyes, he realized there's really nothing he could say to have tonight end differently. So he turned around and let himself out, his heart stinging with pain he has never felt before.

The moment the door shut, Ga Eul fell to the floor and cried, everything she felt for the past four years all coming back to her at once. Frustration, pain, anger…love.


	5. Chapter 5

It's been two days. Two days since he last saw her, since he last spoke to her and two days since his heart got ripped out and stepped on. Compared to the four years of torture of not being able to see her or talk to her, these two days felt like 10 years and he didn't think it could get any worse.

He stayed in his studio, slept there, ate there, bathed (barely) there…he hasn't seen anyone for the past two days except his bottle of scotch. He's been drinking, yes, but what else could he do? Everything reminded him of her. From chocolates to pottery, they all screamed 'Chu Ga Eul' to him. He put his head to his hands and sighed, her words still ringing in his ear.

"_Do you know how that felt? Getting up every morning and wishing, in the deepest part of my heart, that somehow you remembered me in Sweden and wrote to me?"_

He really has been stupid. He used to have a good reason for not contacting her at all but even he finds those reasons stupid now. He used to think that he was doing a good thing, if he didn't call, she wouldn't expect. Simple as that. Because if she did expect and he didn't come home a changed man, he'd end up hurting her again. _I thought I was protecting her. _

He thinks that if he could go back in time he'd write to her everyday if he had to.

"…_because it hurt. It still does. Every single day."_

He knew how that felt. Hurting and longing every single day of that four years. But he wasn't going to use that against her because he knew. He knew that Ga Eul would wait for him because that's just who she was. He knew that no matter what happened, he'd have her to come to. He knew that saying he'd come for her if she hadn't found her soulmate yet would make her stop looking. If only he knew how she suffered because she _didn't _know. _Because I never told her. _

You gotta love karma.

He stands up, intending to more pour more scotch in his glass, he was starting to sober up and he preferred hurting while in the influence. _It made it hurt a little less. _But as he was about to pour the bottle, he noticed something lying on the counter. Two plane tickets to New Caledonia, he was supposed to give it to Ga Eul to make up for lost time. He remembers having to baby sit her the last time they were there. She was acting like such a tourist, taking pictures and sight seeing. He was actually embarrassed by her back then, which is why he wanted to bring her there again. He wanted her to enjoy the trip _with him. _He wanted her to know that even if she was acting like a total hillbilly, he'd stay with her. He also remembered the way her whole face lit up when they arrived at that place, and that's what stopped him from drinking more and most probably going into depression again. That face, those eyes…the way they looked at him four years ago, full of happiness, sometimes annoyance, but always with care. This drinking away his problems thing isn't anything new to him. He's experienced this before, with Eun Jae. But she was there for him, Ga Eul. Even when he pushed her away, she was there. At that time, he remembered her looking at her like she knew he was better than this and she knew she could save him, and she did because she didn't give up on him. She promised she would make his hand work again, and she did. What she didn't know was, along with his hand, she made his heart work again too. For the whole time he's known her, he doesn't remember ever seeing her like she was two days ago. Her words filled with anger and hurt, her face, blank and lifeless, her eyes, cold and empty. He misses it. The way she looked at him, like she knew he was worth it, like she believed in him. He'd give everything he had to have her look at him like that again.

He puts the bottle down; he wasn't going to do this. She deserved better. He notices another thing in the counter. A piece of paper and a pen. He remembers her words…

"_You promised me you'd come back for me and yet you didn't call or write or even sent a freaking postcard!"_

He suddenly knew what he had to do, well, part of what he to do. He hurt her real bad and what he was thinking wasn't enough to make it up to her. He was going to do this right, he was going to show her that maybe _he_ isn't worth it, but _they _were.

He had to sleep first, though. Ga Eul wouldn't want him to be writing to her half-drunk.

Ga Eul felt her heart race as she read the only letter that came for her today. It was from him. She suddenly had flashbacks of everyday she checked her mail for this letter. She couldn't help the tear that fell from her eyes as she remembered. But what was this about? Was this him trying to make it up to her? She hasn't heard from him in days and she thought that he just gave up on her. That thought made her feel bad even if it was what she wanted. _It still is, _she told herself.

She read the letter for the second time, making sure she read everything right. She had to give him props for creativity, she never, in a million years, would have expected this from him. But she wasn't going to give in, she wasn't going to run to his arms all of a sudden and by reading his letter, it looks like he knows that too.

_Ga Eul,_

_Surprised? Good. You're probably expecting something along the lines of "I have been the biggest jerk to you; I wish you would just take me back." But I won't say that, not because I don't feel that way but I know you deserve more than that. So here I am, getting totally out of character, writing to you. This probably goes along the line of stupid considering we live in the same country and I could always come over but I know you don't want to see me at the moment and I know I owe you a lot of letters. I'm not going to make this long because you'd probably get sick of me apologizing and just throw it away. I just wanna say that I will do everything to make it up to you. Starting with this letter. Or should I say, letters. You read that right. You should expect more of this because I'll be writing to you a lot._

_Everyday, actually._

_Yi Jeong_


	6. Chapter 6

_Ga Eul,_

_It's been five days since I last saw you and, truthfully, I'm quite tired of just talking to you through letters (which you don't reply to, but I don't care, so don't think that'll stop me from continuing). I came home for you and I don't even get to see you. So, meet me? I'll be outside the porridge shop at 6pm. _

_Yi Jeong_

Jan Di smiled to herself as she read the letter. Ga Eul told her about Yi Jeong's letters to her and how he promised to write to her everyday to make it up to her. Jan Di had to admit, she never expected this of the playboy. And it looks like he has more in store for Ga Eul. Jan Di hid the letter in her bag and as she heard Ga Eul come out to check her mail.

"Jan Di! What are you doing here?" she asked, as she went to hug her best friend in greeting. Ga Eul hasn't seen Jan Di since her engagement. She was always busy and they only got to talk on the phone.

"I missed you! You don't have work, right? C'mon, let's go out!" Jan Di said, excitedly. She pulled Ga Eul's hand and Ga Eul can't help but think that Jan Di has been hanging out with the F4 for so long that she already caught one of their signature moves, one that she called, The Pull. She has seen Jun Pyo do this to Jan Di a lot of times when she didn't want to go with him and she has experienced this with Yi Jeong as well. _Speaking of that rascal…_

She was about to get her hands on her mailbox to open it when Jan Di pulled even more.

"C'mon now, Ga Eul! You can check his letter later!" Jan Di told her, smirking.

"Who said I was going to do that?" she replied, defending herself but Jan Di isn't even looking at her anymore as she dragged her to the sidewalk to start their day.

"Where are we going now?" Ga Eul asked Jan Di as soon as they were walking on a normal pace. They have just finished running away from Jun Pyo's bodyguards who have been following them since this morning. She was having one of her best days, it was like a break from all the drama she has with Yi Jeong. She and Jan Di went to the amusement park, ate at places they never did when they were with F4, and ran around Seoul, trying to lose the bodyguards.

"We should visit master in the porridge shop." Jan Di said, she looked at her watch. It was twenty minutes before six. She would be just in time.

Ga Eul smiled and nodded her head, "That's a great idea! I miss that place."

A few more minutes to the porridge shop, Jan Di asked Ga Eul.a question.

"How are things with Yi Jeong sunbae?" Ga Eul stopped walking and turned to Jan Di.

"Why do you ask?" she said, keeping a straight face.

"Well, you told me about the letters but you never really told me how you felt about him." Jan Di answered. She knew Ga Eul still felt something for Yi Jeong, she just wanted to hear her admit it. For her own sake.

"I don't know, Jan Di. I mean, whenever I think about giving him a chance, I remember all the times I cried because of him and I back off." She confessed.

"He really did hurt you." Jan Di said, as she listened to Ga Eul. These were words of a broken heart.

"Do you remember the time Jun Pyo sunbae went to Macau and he didn't contact you for six months?" Jan Di nodded.

"Try multiplying that pain by eight. That's how much I hurt." Jan Di couldn't help it anymore. She had to tell Ga Eul what she did. She wouldn't want Ga Eul getting surprised in front of Yi Jeong. She didn't have to take that.

"I have to show you something." She handed Ga Eul Yi Jeong's letter and watched as her eyes widened in shock.

"Why do you have that?" Ga Eul asked, pointing to the letter in Jan Di's hand.

"I did a really nosy thing a while ago."

"_Yi Jeong sunbae!" she called out as soon as she saw his figure standing in front of Ga Eul's mailbox. He turned to her and gave a small wave. She went to stand by his side and asked what he was doing there._

"_I just came to drop off my letter. Did she tell you about that?" he asked her._

_Jan Di nodded. "Yes. You seem to really want her back, sunbae." _

"_I do. I need her to know that." Jan Di smiled at potter's honesty. _

"_Why don't I give it to her?" she suggested, holding her hands out for the letter. Yi Jeong thought for a moment and realized maybe Jan Di could help him. He handed her the letter and said,_

"_I have something planned for her tonight. It's in that letter. I, uh, don't know if she would like to see me but…I…really wanna see her." he said sheepishly. Was he blushing? _

_Jan Di couldn't help but smile at his nervousness._

"_You want me to convince her to go?" she asked._

"_Yes, if you could."_

_Jan Di agreed and waved goodbye at Yi Jeong as he got into his car. She knew that Ga Eul still loved Yi Jeong, she was just trying to protect her heart. She has noticed the change in her, she was less lively, she never spoke of love and there were times when she would appear cold and empty. That needed to be changed, Yi Jeong might just be the cure, even if he was the cause. But knowing the new version of Ga Eul, she didn't think she'd agree to going out with Yi Jeong tonight, even if Jan Di convinced her to. She'll find a way to get out of it, Jan Di was sure. It was a good thing she had a plan…_

"You set me up!" Ga Eul was outraged. How could Jan Di do this to her? She was supposed to be on her side!

"Only because you wouldn't have come otherwise! Just give it a shot, Ga Eul, he seems to have really changed." Jan Di tried to reason with her best friend.

"But..but…" she tried to think of something to say, anything, that would make Jan Di take her back.

"You told me once that love is obtained only by those with courage. I'm telling you the same thing now." Jan Di knew she was doing the right thing. She saw the look on Yi Jeong's face this morning, there was no way he was bluffing.

"I know that, Jan Di. But what if he hurts me? I'm not going to be push-over Ga Eul anymore. I can't let him in again." She said, with such sadness that it broke Jan Di's heart. Jan Di gripped her friend's shoulders and said,

"Chu Ga Eul, listen to me. I am your best friend and you know how much I hate it when you get hurt. Do you really think I'd bring you here tonight if I had the slightest feeling that he would hurt you? You know I wouldn't. And you also know that if he did, he'd get more than a spinning kick from me." She hoped she was right. _Don't you dare prove me wrong, Yi Jeong sunbae!_

Ga Eul sighed. There was no way out of this. She was going to see Yi Jeong sunbae tonight. She knew this would happen sometime, they had the same friends, there was no way she could avoid him forever. But she didn't expect him to be the one to initiate it. She thought that by not replying to his letters, he'd get the idea that she wasn't going to be won over. But, apparently, that didn't do it. She would be lying if she said the letters didn't affect her. Because it did, a great deal, actually. The letter following the first was apologetic. She remembered reading something along the lines of,

_You said you thought I never thought about you in Sweden. I never thought about anything but you in Sweden and I'm sorry for making you feel otherwise._

He wasn't only sorry about the last four years. He also wrote about the how he hurt her before he left, always pushing her away and that one incident with his father,

_I'm sorry for that night. I have replayed that night a lot in my head and it's like killing myself multiple times._

The third letter was thankful; she remembered a particularly striking line,

_I want you to know you made me better. You still do. I'd be the dumbest person in the world if I didn't take this chance to prove to you how thankful I am._

This was the fourth, the one she held in her hands. She looked at Jan Di, she looked so sure about this. Jan Di wrapped a supporting arm on her shoulders and led her to the porridge shop.

He was already there when they arrived, leaning on his orange car, looking every bit of a movie star than he had any right to. Jan Di felt Ga Eul stiffen at the sight.

"Yi Jung sunbae!" Jan Di called out. Yi Jeong turned his head and almost dropped his phone. He looked like a nervous wreck.

"You came." He said, as soon as he recovered. He really thought she'd ditch him. She was still so angry the last he saw her. _I won't ever underestimate Geum Jan Di's convincing powers again. _

Ga Eul looked at anywhere but him. Why did he have to look the way he did? It was just unfair.

"Well, if you really didn't expect me to come, maybe we should just go. C'mon, Jan Di…" She said, trying to get away but she felt a firm grip on her arm. She looked up at him and saw him smile. _Stop that!_

"Stop that!" she really did say, glaring up at him.

"I was just surprised, Ga Eul yang. Let's get going." He led her to his car and she gave one last pleading look to Jan Di. Jan Di just smiled even more.

Before getting on the car, Yi Jeong turned to Jan Di to thank her.

"Don't hurt her this time, sunbae. I trust you on this. Or else you're gonna find out how my spinning kick feels. Jun Pyo and the others probably won't let you get off easily too." She told him, warningly. Yi Jeong chuckled,

"I promise, Jan Di. I think I can handle my friends, but I have no power against your skills." He waved goodbye and entered the car. He looked at Ga Eul. She was just looking straight ahead, not saying anything.

He started driving. Ga Eul just shifted her gaze outside the window, but never to him.

"So what made you decide to come?" he asked, trying to get her to look at him. She didn't.

"Jan Di set me up. You know, she really is hanging out with you guys too much." She said.

"Wow, I didn't think Geum Jan Di had it in her." he was quite disappointed she didn't come by will, but he'd take whatever he got if he gets to spend time with her. She finally looks at him.

"So where are we going, sunbae?"


	7. Chapter 7

"I don't know."

"What?" Ga Eul thought she heard him wrong. Did he just say he didn't know where they were going?

"Well, I know where were going now. My studio. But, after that, I don't really know…"

"What?" she repeated, her eyes wide with rage. How could he not know?

"Well, you see, Woo Bin kind of set this up." He said, taking a glance at her face. Her eyes were wide and she looked like she couldn't quite comprehend his words. He didn't blame her. He never thought there'd be the day when he asked for Woo Bin's help regarding a girl. They were both fond of women but they had very different tastes when it comes to pleasing a girl. Woo Bin was more…out there.

"Woo Bin sunbae?!" she cleared, her eyes still not going back to its normal size.

"You're not exactly that easy to please anymore, Ga Eul yang. I had to ask for professional help." He explained. Woo Bin noticed him wracking his brains out for an idea yesterday and he offered help. Yi Jeong was hesitant at first but soon gave in when Don Juan promised he wouldn't go too far. He silently prayed that his best friend kept his word. They were quiet after that. Ga Eul didn't say anything else, Yi Jeong suspected she was mad. He didn't look at her anymore. If he did, he would've seen that she was smiling like a maniac. They parked in front of the studio and Yi Jeong looked at her, expecting to see an angry Ga Eul. What he got was a smirking one.

"What are you smiling about?" he asked.

"Casanova's losing his touch. Who knew you actually needed help pleasing a girl?" She teased, getting out of the car before he could respond. He quickly got out of the car and followed her to his studio's door.

"Yah, Chu Ga Eul, what kind of attitude is that? Outraged one second then smiling like an idiot the next." He teased back. She gave out a small laugh and Yi Jeong noticed she had her guard back up again.

"So, how would we know Woo Bin's plan?" she asked him, as they got into the studio. She was taking this better than he thought. He actually expected her to bail as soon as she heard Woo Bin's name.

"Here." He picked up a card that was lying on the counter. He read it quickly and handed it to Ga Eul. She read it. It was an unfamiliar address.

"Where is this?" she asked curiously. She hoped it wasn't some club with partying and everything. That was definitely not her scene.

"I don't know but he wants us to go there. Let's go?" he asked, debating with himself whether he should offer her his hand. He decided otherwise. Ga Eul would probably think it was too fast.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, sunbae?" she asked him, suddenly very hesitant about going she worried about the place they were about to go. She hated surprises. It would have been fine if Yi Jeong knew where they were going but that wasn't really the case.

"Yes. As twisted as it may sound, I trust Woo Bin's plan." He said, forgetting his 'no-touching' rule and pulled Ga Eul by the wrist. She pulled back.

"But what if Woo Bin sunbae didn't really hear you right? What if he thought you were taking another girl?" Oh, how horrible that would turn out. The place might be a club, or worse a hotel. He pulled again.

"You're just making excuses now, Ga Eul yang. C'mon." he couldn't help but think Ga Eul just didn't want to go out with him, period. But her next comment told him otherwise. She pulled again.

"Why don't we just stay here and order in? Or go to a movie or something?" he smirked. So she did want to spend time with him. Ga Eul noticed his smirking face. She frowned and demanded to know what was funny.

"You. You should really just give in, Ga Eul yang, you know how this little pulling game we have always ends up." He said, referring to their still touching hands. Ga Eul remembered all the times he got her to leave with him this way. She would pull back at first but he'll just manage to drag her wherever anyway. Like now. He was pulling her towards his car and she felt herself not resisting anymore. Instead, she went in the car and pouted. When he got in, he looked at her pouting face and he couldn't help but smile. He resisted the urge to pinch her cheeks, instead he just continued smiling.

"I win." He said, before driving to their destination.

"Where are we sunbae?" Ga Eul asked curiously as they entered what seemed to be an abandoned mansion. It was dark and she secretly wanted to hold on to Yi Jeong's arms for safety but she quickly stopped herself, _Get a hold of yourself, Chu Ga Eul!_

"I'm not sure. I'm quite certain I've seen this place before, I just don't remember. It's really dark." He answered. He glanced at her and he noticed that she looked scared. He wanted to put his arm around her but he knew he couldn't. He already broke the unspoken rule a while ago when he dragged her to his car; he wasn't going to push his luck. That still didn't stop him from imagining how it would feel with Ga Eul so close to him, he quickly shook the thought from his head, _What's the matter with you Yi Jeong?_

"There's a door over there," Ga Eul said, pointing to the door a few steps away from them. They walked to the door and noticed a note taped to it. '_Enjoy'_, it said. Ga Eul gulped as she read the note. _ Please let it be something decent, Woo Bin sunbae!_

Yi Jeong opened the door and Ga Eul followed closely. Yi Jeong gave out a slight gasp of surprise as he realized where he was. Ga Eul felt her jaw drop as far as the floor. She couldn't believe how beautiful this place is. Behind the door was a garden with the most exquisite design. It had a fountain in the middle, not too big or flashy, just right. The garden was walled with pure green grass. Different kinds of flowers grew out of it and it reminded Ga Eul of fairytales. There was a elegant swing set in one of the corners and it, too, was covered with green and had flowers growing out. There was a small table right in front of the fountain; Ga Eul assumed it was their dinner. The whole thing looked like it came out of a fantasy book.

"I finally remember." He said, taking a look at Ga Eul and seeing her awed expression. He smiled at the sight. Her eyes were even brighter than the twinkle lights above them.

"What is this place?" she asked as soon as she recovered from her shock.

"Years ago, this house belonged to a rich family who was friends with our families. The mother was an architect, she designed this place. When we were about thirteen years old, they held a party for all their friends. Naturally, we were invited. The party got boring so Woo Bin and I snuck out and ended up here. I assume Woo Bin had people re-decorate this since the family has long since migrated to America. He probably had this planned before I even got back." He finished explaining, he could feel Ga Eul's eyes on him. He looked at her and noticed her still curious expression.

"Is there something else you want to know?" he asked.

"Why this place? I mean, the way you talk about it, this place must've been somewhat special to you. Why did Woo Bin sunbae pick this place?" she asked him, noticing the way his eyes smiled as he talked about that memory.

"Well, by that time, I have already vacationed to almost the whole world. But there was something about this place that made me stare in awe the first time I saw it. I didn't know what it was but it took my breath away. We were already very fond of girls then and I told Woo Bin that if I met someone who takes my breath away the way this place does, that's the only time I'll get serious." He walked to the swing and Ga Eul followed, he continued,

"Woo Bin told me that with the way my jaw dropped at that moment, it would be impossible for anyone to top that. He said I might have to search the whole world." He held the rope of the swing as Ga Eul sat on it, looking around and admiring it's simple beauty. Ga Eul looked up at him next and he looked straight at her.

"Who knew I'd only have to walk in the porridge shop down the street to find her?" he said, sincerity filling his eyes. Ga Eul felt herself turn to the deepest shade of red possible with his confession. She laughed and nervously and stood up.

"I'm starving, let's see what Woo Bin sunbae prepared." She led the way to the table and sat down. She waited for Yi Jeong to sit before opening the dish. It was normal korean food that both of them enjoyed eating. Yi Jeong noticed another note beside his plate. He opened it and read it out loud.

"Catch up," he said, "play twenty questions or something."

"Should we follow him?"

"We already followed him this far, might as well go through with his whole plan." He said. He was about to go first when Ga Eul spoke.

"I'll go first," she said, "why the porridge shop? You could've picked me up anywhere, I don't work there anymore."

"I suppose I was feeling sentimental. That's where we first met, or don't you remember?" he teased. Ga Eul blushed. How could she forget? The moment he walked in that shop and asked her about Jan Di, she felt like her whole world made sense by just looking at his face. Of course, all admiration disappeared as he dragged her to his studio and pissed her off.

"You really had some nerve that night." She said. Yi Jeong laughed as he remembered. It wasn't love at first sight with them; they despised each other at first. He, because he thought she had no class and was unsophisticated and she, because she thought he was nothing but a spoiled, rich kid who thought he could charm any girl with that face.

"You were had terrible manners, Ga Eul yang." He said, teasing her back. He wonders how someone so unlike him slowly wormed her way into his heart the way she did.

"Your turn."

"The day I arrived, your students said I was your boyfriend. You told them that?" Yes, he has been wondering about that. The students referred to a boyfriend from abroad so unless Ga Eul had some other friend in Sweden, they were without a doubt talking about him. Ga Eul almost choked on the water she was drinking when he asked the question. Damn, she forgot about that!

"Well, you see, uh, sunbae…" She didn't know if she should just lie and say the kids were just incredibly smart and possibly psychic. She decided to tell the truth, the lie would probably make her seem coo-coo.

"On their first day, of course they asked questions about me. They were incredibly nosy and they wouldn't take no for an answer. So I told them I had someone in Sweden, the term 'boyfriend' was all theirs." She explained. She suddenly wishes she hadn't agreed to play as she saw his smirking face. She stuffed her face with food, trying to hide her blush. _How many times has this happened tonight?_

"Okay, Ga Eul yang, last question. Hit me." He said. They were now completely done with their food and they were sitting next to each other on the ground, leaning on the fountain. They were having fun; Ga Eul forgot how nice it was to just hang out with him, minus all the drama. They were able to catch up. She asked about his life in Sweden and she talked about her studies here before becoming a teacher. They laughed as they told embarrassing stories from the last four years and they bickered as they were forced to remember some of their past. She propped her legs up to her chest and thought carefully if she would ask the question she had in mind. She's been wondering about this ever since they started the game. She didn't know if he would answer truthfully and she didn't think she'd like to hear the answer anyway. But she needed to know, so she asked,

"Were you with anyone in Sweden? And, sunbae, by 'with' I mean, 'with'" she asked awkwardly, staring at the ground. She heard Yi Jeong sigh at the question. He didn't answer for a while, not because he didn't want to tell the truth but because he didn't want to lose his last only chance with Ga Eul. He decided he'd be in more deep shit if he lied.

"One." He finally said, looking away, out of embarrassment. Ga Eul felt her heart break into little pieces at his confession.

"Let me explain first." He said, looking at her again with regret in his eyes. She nodded her head at him to continue.

"It was a after a particularly hard semester, some of my friends invited me out to party. I haven't had a sip of wine for months before that night. I got immensely drunk and woke up next to some girl. I promise I don't remember that night at all. If I could do it all over, you know I would. Forgive me, Ga Eul yang." He said, sincerity practically booming from his words. Instead of her heart breaking even more, Ga Eul felt herself relax as he explained. She has long accepted that Yi Jeong wasn't perfect, that was one of the reasons she fell in love with him in the first place. She wasn't going to hold a one night mistake against him, she wasn't that low. She knew that Yi Jeong regretted it and that he was trying and that was enough for her. Besides…

"Just one, sunbae? Wow, you really are losing your touch." She joked. Yi Jeong eyes turned to her smiling face and he immediately relaxed. Ga Eul was amazing.

"Then it's a good thing I'm a one-woman man now." He said, looking straight at her again. Ga Eul doesn't think she can blush any more. She laughed nervously and looked a way. Yi Jeong got the idea that she wasn't comfortable talking about this yet. So he changed the topic to his final question.

"Ga Eul yang, my turn." He started. Ga Eul looked at him as she waited for the question. It was getting easier now, looking at him and not immediately wanting to cry.

"Have you found your soulmate yet?"


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Thank you to everyone who reviewed! You guys are more than awesome! :D :))**

"I…I don't know." It was Yi Jeong's turn to feel his heart break into little pieces. She turned her eyes away from him and looked straight ahead. Yi Jeong saw the first tear fall.

"I'm really not that confident about their existence as much as before." Ga Eul was crying silently. There were no sobs; if you didn't look at her while she was talking, you wouldn't know she was crying. But the sadness was more than evident.

"Maybe you were right all along, sunbae. Maybe soulmates were really just a pigment of a silly girl's imagination." She sighed and tried to smile. She slowly wiped the tears and brought her eyes to his.

"That silly girl's grown up now." She finished. Yi Jeong couldn't help the wave of guilt hitting him. It was more like tsunami. Her eyes matched her voice, and Yi Jeong just couldn't bear to see them like that anymore.

"I'm sorry." He finally said after minutes of silence between them. Ga Eul let out a small laugh.

"Please don't think it's your fault. My idea of destiny was doomed from the start. You said it yourself." she reminded him. They were still sitting next to each other, leaning on the fountain. They weren't looking at each other as they spoke. Somehow Yi Jeong's hand found their way to hers. She looked at their hands and then at him.

"I don't want you to think about those things anymore, Ga Eul yang. I was a playboy, after all. You said it yourself." He finally looked at her and she gave him a sad smile.

"If only if it were that easy." She didn't let go of his hand. She wasn't strong enough to. No matter how much she denied it, she needed this. This kind of comfort he was giving her, she needed it more than anything. Yi Jeong squeezed her hand lightly.

"Don't give up on me yet, Ga Eul yang." He urged. When she didn't say anything, Yi Jeong pulled her up, never letting go of her hand.

"Oh!" Ga Eul was caught off guard by his sudden movement. She was thinking deep about what he said. If he told her that four years ago, she would've laughed at his face and gladly did what she was told. But, as much she didn't want it to, things change and so did she. Did she still have it in her to fight for him?

"Let's go." He said, pulling her out of their garden. Yes, _their _garden. Ga Eul didn't put up a fight; she didn't say anything at all. She just followed him, still deep in thought. She thought about his words just now and earlier. How he was so sure about her, about them. She remembered when she felt the same way about both things. The look he gave her earlier, when she told him she doesn't believe in soulmates anymore, it was…heartbreaking. She doesn't remember ever meeting this side of the Casanova, if she could still call him that. They got into the car and Yi Jeong looked at her expression. She was zoning out, she probably doesn't realize they were already in the car. He couldn't quite think about her words earlier and she looked when she said it. It was an image of a heart broken and Yi Jeong doesn't think he had it in him to forgive himself for breaking such a beautiful and fragile thing. But he was going to make it up to her; he was going to make it his mission in life if he had to. He was going to put that spark back in her eyes, permanently.

"What are you thinking about?" Ga Eul was snapped out of her thoughts. She doesn't even remember getting into his car but, here she was. She answered with a question of her own.

"Where are we going now?"

"I didn't totally lose it, Ga Eul yang." was all he said. He smirked at her and started the engine, not bothering to answer Ga Eul's questions about what he meant. She was going to find out soon enough.

They arrived at a familiar place. Ga Eul was reminded of the multiple times that she would come here to secure herself of his promise. She would tell herself to hold on to his words and she would replay the exact moment when he made his promise to her in her head multiple times, just to feel safe. Then she stopped going. That was around the time she realized she had to stop deluding herself, it was the time to face reality. She asked him why he brought her here.

"I want to make another promise." He said. They were in front of the same fire place again, almost an exact image of what happened four years ago. Yi Jeong wanted to remind her of that day. He wanted her to remember every detail about that moment because it was truly one of the few good moments they had where he didn't try to hurt her or push her away. That day marked the start of him truly opening up his heart to his Ga Eul.

"I used to come here, you know. Whenever I missed you, which was almost everyday." She laughed slightly at her confession. She kept her eyes on the fire and continued,

"Somehow this place managed to make me feel safe; you made your promise here and remembering that used to give me hope. I stopped coming after about a year."

Yi Jeong didn't need to ask why she stopped coming. He already knew the story all too well and it sucked to be reminded of his stupidity.

"Did you ever think about that day again? After you stopped coming here?" he asked his eyes hopeful.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't." she answered simply. They were both looking at the fire and not at each other. Yi Jeong felt her shiver beside him. He took off his coat and wrapped it around her. She felt a sense of nostalgia kick in as he did so.

"I want to make another promise." He repeated. He took something out of his pocket and took her hand. He placed it there and looked at her to see her reaction.

She felt him take her hand and she looked at the item he placed there. It was necklace, using a ring as a pendant. She looked up at him.

Their eyes met.

"What's this for, sunbae?" she asked, her eyes never leaving his.

"It's a promise ring, Ga Eul yang, except that you wear it as a necklace. I have one too." He pulled the silver lace that was hidden behind his shirt and showed it to her. It was exactly the same.

"I, So Yi Jeong, promise to make it up to you, Ga Eul yang, even if it takes the rest of my life. I'll win you back whatever it takes." He said his eyes boring into hers. She felt herself blush again for the millionth time that night. She felt her self turn to an even deeper color as he touched her cheeks with the back of his hand.

"I missed the way you blush." He said, smirking about the fact that he still had that effect on her.

"Who's blushing? It just happens to be cold!" she defended herself. She turned her eyes to the object in her hand. She couldn't believe what it was. Another promise? Could she really risk her heart by believing again?

"It won't be like the last time," he said as he took the necklace from her and placed it around her neck. "I promise." He whispered in her ear. She felt herself shiver again and it definitely wasn't because of the cold this time. He resumed his place beside her and checked his watch. _Just in time. _

"Ga Eul yang," he said. She glanced up at him and saw him pointing at the sky. She looked up and as if on cue, the sky started lighting up with fireworks. It was beautiful because it was just for her. Yi Jeong watched her smile in amazement.

"I told you I didn't lose it." He said, smirking. She looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"You did this before, sunbae. Obviously, you're running out of ideas." She told him, teasingly. She looked up the sky again and smiled. Maybe it was okay to let him in, just a little bit.

Yi Jeong couldn't help his own smile as he watched her. He remembered the garden and now the fireworks and he thinks both looked pale in beauty compared to this girl beside him.

He stooped the car in front of her apartment. It was a quiet ride but it was comfortable. They said enough already and anymore would just spoil the night.

"Tonight was fun, sunbae." She told him.

"It was. We should do it again." He couldn't help but laugh slightly at all the formality. He was about to tell her to have a good night when she cut in.

"I've realized something tonight." She said, not looking at him. Yi Jeong felt himself get excited as he heard this. Maybe she was considering…

"You seem to be serious now, sunbae. So I made this decision…" Yi Jeong couldn't believe it! She _was _considering it. Or maybe not just considering it, maybe she would actually tell him…

"I think we should be friends." His eyes widened at the word. Friends? _What the…_

"For now. I-I mean, right now. Oh, I don't know what I mean…" Ga Eul kicked herself mentally for stuttering like that. She seemed to get it right when she rehearsed it in her head. She took a deep breath and looked at Yi Jeong.

"I'm not closing my mind to anything, sunbae. I just don't think I'm ready to put myself out there so suddenly again. But tonight made me realize that I do need you in my life, and a friend is the only place I can give right now." She said, pleased to have redeemed herself. Yi Jeong was slowly losing the shock from his face and turned to her.

"If you think that this would be the right thing…"

Ga Eul nodded, "I really do. Friends?" she asked him.

"Friends." He smirked again, "for now." She shoved him playfully before getting out of the car. Yi Jeong couldn't help but think that maybe he _has _lost it.


	9. Chapter 9

They were sitting in silence. Ji Hu was sitting cross legged, reading a book, Yi Jeong was sitting on the floor, writing his latest letter for Ga Eul; Woo Bin was just sitting there, staring into space when he suddenly burst out loud.

"Friends?!" It was probably the fifth time he repeated that word and then laughed afterwards since Yi Jeong told them about last night. Yi Jeong just glared at him. He was getting tired of telling him to shut up.

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry, bro! It's just that, ", he was trying to catch his breath, "remembering it makes me laugh."

"I can see that." he replied, still glaring. He would never tell Woo Bin anything again.

"But, seriously? Even after my kick ass plan?" He still couldn't get over it, obviously. Yi Jeong was debating on whether or not he should throw his phone to his head. He decided otherwise, how else would he know if Ga Eul wanted to see him?

"She just needs time. That's what she said, so don't go thinking that she rejected me." He defended himself.

"Ok, bro, whatever you say." He was still smiling like a maniac as he said this so Yi Jeong doubts that he's finished. He ignored him and went back to writing his letter. Last night was a big turn for their relationship and he wanted everything to be perfect for them after that. Maybe he could get out of this unfamiliar stage he was in with her a little early if he did this right.

"So how does this 'friends only' thing go?" Woo Bin asked, disturbing him once again.

"What do you mean?" he asked, not looking from what he was doing.

"Like, can you date other people?"

"I don't want to date other people." He answered almost immediately. Both Woo Bin and Ji Hu, who closed his book and decided to join the conversation, chuckled at his response.

"Well, can she date other people?" Yi Jeong looked up. He tried to remember if anything about that was said last night. None. Na-da. He remembers his first day back when she excused herself from his presence because she had a date. He suddenly felt nervous, like he wanted to throw up.

"She can?" Woo Bin looked at his best friend, amused. He has always found Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's relationship weird and unexpected, but never would did he think that Geum Jan Di's innocent best friend would change the Casanova this way.

"Well, she didn't say that…" he said, seemingly trying to convince himself more that them.

"But she didn't not say it either." Woo Bin concluded. Yi Jeong glared at his so called friend again. Did he really have to shove it in his face?

"Yi Jeong," Ji Hu said as he stood up and sat next to Yi Jeong, he put his arm on his shoulder and continued, "how does it feel to be insanely whipped?"

Woo Bin fell from his chair, laughing.

--

Ga Eul woke up with a start. She looked at her bedside clock and realized she slept in until noon. It was a good thing it was a Sunday. She sat up and stretched. Man, she was stiff. She reached for her phone and checked her messages. There was one from Woo Bin, saying she was welcome and she enjoyed her night. She texted him when she got home, thanking him for the place and dinner. She got one from Jan Di, asking how the date went. The last one was from Yi Jeong. She couldn't help but laugh at his message.

_Good morning, Ga Eul yang. ;) Hope you had a good night. Who was that attractive man I saw dropping you off late last night? _

She replied:

_Oh, him? He's a friend. Why? ___

She smiled at her witty response. A little teasing in the morning, err, afternoon was a good way to start your day. Still holding her phone, she went straight to the kitchen for breakfast. She made herself some eggs and coffee and sat down. She was waiting for her phone to light up, indicating that she had a message, while eating. Yi Jeong was the only one she replied to, deciding she would just call Jan Di later. When she was done, Yi Jeong still hasn't replied. She decided it was because she replied four hours late. She went to take a shower to officially start her day.

Yi Jeong couldn't help but wince slightly at Ga Eul's text. He just came from meeting up with Woo Bin and Ji Hu and they didn't let him forget about that 'F' word, too. He turned his car to the right, changing his direction. He had a delivery to make.

Ga Eul was drying her hair with a towel when she heard the doorbell ring. She put the towel down, brushed her hair and checked her reflection before answering the door. She felt glad she did all those things as she realized who was in the door.

"Yi Jeong sunbae?"

"Annyeong. What time did you get up?" he asked, going straight in. Ga Eul closed the door behind them.

"Around noon. It was a late night." She answered him. She led him to her small couch and he sat down.

"It was 10:30 when I dropped you off. That was late?" Ga Eul just shrugged and sat down next to him. Yi Jeong couldn't help but think about how different they were. Back when he was still partying with Woo Bin on a daily basis, he'd get home as late as four in the morning. He took a look at Ga Eul, sitting Indian style with him on the couch, facing him. She was wearing jeans and an oversized sweater. He smiled at the sight.

"What are you smiling at?" she tilted her head to the side as she asked.

"You look cute dressed like that." he blurted out, without thinking. Did he really just say that? No wonder the guys thought he was whipped as hell.

Ga Eul looked down at her clothes and then looked at him curiously. She didn't think these clothes were his…type.

"What are you doing here, sunbae?" she finally asked him. Yi Jeong fished the letter from his pocket and handed it to her.

"I came to deliver my letter." He said. She was about to open it when Yi Jeong placed his hand above hers to stop her.

"No! Don't read it now." He said. He didn't want her reading his words with him in the room. He'd be _really _whipped if that happened.

"Why not? Come on, sunbae! I want to see what it says." She insisted.

"You can read it later when I'm not here." He told her. He already agreed to be just friends; he wouldn't let her completely kill his ego. It was already black and blue as they speak. Ga Eul frowned at him. it wasn't long before she stuck her lower lip out and narrowed her eyes at him. Yi Jeong sighed as he realized he was powerless to that pout.

"Oh, fine! But read it quietly! And don't laugh." Ga Eul laughed as Yi Jeong gave in. She's found his weakness. She thought about something for a little while and decided to test her new found power.

"Will _you _read it for me?" she asked him, using her skills once more.

"That's really immature, Ga Eul yang! Stop that." he was closing his eyes now, refusing to look at her puppy dog face. He won't give in again.

"Come on, sunbae! I thought we were friends?" she teased once more. Yi Jeong opened his eyes, daring to look at her. He sighed as he realized she was still doing it.

"Friends don't let friends do things they don't want to do." He reasoned. He should really stop looking at her. But he was just too cute, with those eyes and those lips, that he couldn't help it.

"Please?" That was it for Yi Jeong. He was an embarrassment to the male race and he knew it. He grumbled in defeat as he took the letter from her. Ga Eul's whole face lit up as Yi Jeong slowly opened the letter with a pained expression.

He started,

"_Ga Eul yang,_

_Last night was amazing. You shouldn't go out so much looking like that, I couldn't keep my eyes off of you…"_

"I was in jeans!"

"Do you want me to read this?"

"Sorry. Continue…"

"_Beautiful, that's what you were last, that's what you are everyday. I find it amazing that just that the sight of you would make my heart beat faster…"_

Ga Eul couldn't help but blush with his words. She looked down to hide it, he'd seen too much of her red face last night to last him a lifetime. She listened as he continued,

"_The way you forgave about that night in Sweden…you just made me more amazed with you than I already am. That's saying a lot, considering I find you pretty damn amazing…"_

Ga Eul's face softened as she remembered the look on his face as he confessed last night. Despite of his mature ways, she couldn't help but think of him as a child. He was innocent and vulnerable in his own way and that's what she thought of as beautiful.

"_I'm going to stop writing mushy stuff now because Woo Bin and Ji Hu won't stop teasing me about being whipped. But, as I write this, I realize that maybe there's nothing wrong with that. That's a secret, Ga Eul yang. Don't go using it to your advantage now…"_

She laughed as she realized that's what she just did. Yi Jeong looked up and stuck his tongue out at her.

"_I'm ending this letter now because I'm afraid you'd use this as blackmail someday if I screw up again. But I promise you that I'd try my hardest not to. Yi Jeong…_

_PS Seriously, Ga Eul yang? Friends?!"_

He looked at her for her reaction. She had a smile on her face as he finished reading. Looking at her at like that, all casual and homey, he realized there's nothing much he wouldn't do for her.

"I was kidding about the last part. Sort of…" She gave out a laugh and tilter her head to the side once more.

"What now?" he asked, already familiar with that look of hers.

"Would you read it again for me?" Yi Jeong looked like a doomed man. He was about to grudgingly read it again when Ga Eul laughed out loud.

"I'm kidding! One's enough, sunbae." She said, getting up. She excused herself, taking the letter from him. Yi Jeong laid his back on the couch as he realized that what his friends have been telling him since this morning…

His ass was whipped.

**Drop me some love, alrighty? :) **


	10. Chapter 10

The cold night breeze was perfect as Yi Jeong and Ga Eul walked to the coffee shop near Ga Eul's house. Yi Jeong insisted on taking the car but Ga Eul couldn't pass up such a perfect night. It's been a week since their 'friendship' started and they've been doing great. Yi Jeong would visit her every day either to deliver his letter or to take her out, and Ga Eul has been smiling more than usual in his presence. This was one of the 'taking her out' nights.

"So, how's work?" he asked as they made their way through the calm streets. Her eyes sparkled at the mention of her job. She loved those kids.

"It's been really good. The kids are amazing and they've been doing real great at pottery." They both smiled as they remembered two days ago when Yi Jeong showed up at her class and started mingling with her students. Next thing she knew, he was making pieces for them and telling them tips. Since then, the kids showed a distinct interest in pottery. Especially the little girls who seemed at awe with Yi Jeong the way Ga Eul was when she first met him.

"That's awesome. How's Joo Eun? Is she feeling better?" Ga Eul couldn't help but smile even wider at his genuine concern for her student. Joo Eun had been sick when he visited, she had a fever running and she was sent home early. She was touched that he remembered.

"I've been told that she's doing okay. She might already come to school tomorrow so that's a good thing." Yi Jeong smiled at the information. They reached the coffee shop and they were slowly making their way to the vacant seats at the far corner when they heard someone call out Ga Eul.

"Miss Chu!" the pair turned their heads and Yi Jeong saw a boy, probably his age or a year younger, make their way to them. He was wearing casual clothes, in contrast with Yi Jeong's suit, and he had a 'just out of bed' looking hair. He had a huge grin on his face as he looked at Ga Eul. Yi Jeong felt like ripping him to shreds already. Ga Eul seemed to know the little punk.

"Oh, Jung Su! I told you to call me Ga Eul." she said with a smile when the boy came up to them.

"Right, sorry, Ga Eul." the boy profusely blushed and Yi Jeong wanted to knock his head off for the way he looked at Ga Eul. Like a crushing schoolboy.

"How is Joo Eun? Will she be going to class tomorrow?" she asked.

"Ah, yes! She's feeling better now. She says she misses you already." His sweet tone made Yi Jeong want to punch his sorry face. He kept his cool though, glaring at him instead.

"That's great. We miss her too." Jung Su looked at Yi Jeong as if just realizing he was there.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Jung Su, this is Yi Jeong." Jung Su extended his hand for a shake but Yi Jeong just gave him a stiff nod.

"Yi Jeong? So Yi Jeong? The famous potter?" he asked. Yi Jeong didn't bother giving him a response so Ga Eul just nodded her head

"This is Jung Su, Joo Eun's older brother." She introduced. A call from Jung Su's table disturbed their little chat and he excused himself from the two, not before giving Ga Eul a flirty smirk that Yi Jeong knew all to well. He was silent as the continued to walk to their table. They sat down and Yi Jeong still wasn't saying anything, he just had a hard look on his face.

"What's wrong, sunbae?" she asked, confused at his sudden change of mood. Yi Jeong looked at her for a brief moment before shaking his head.

"Nothing." Ga Eul frowned at his cold answer. Then she smirked as she realized what made him angry.

"You're jealous, huh?" a smile was playing on her face as she said this. Yi Jeong looked away.

"Pfft. Who's jealous? I was just…" he couldn't think of anything. Ga Eul laughed at his uneasy face.

"You ARE jealous!" she told him, triumphantly.

"Of that little toad you were talking to? He's no threat, Ga Eul yang." He said, more to himself than to her.

"Then why are you so pissed?" she was still teasing him. Yi Jeong narrowed his eyes at her smiling face.

"I'm not, Ga Eul yang. Now can we just order?" Ga Eul frowned at him. Why was he acting so stingy? Maybe he really wasn't jealous. That thought somehow made her sad. She quickly shrugged off her feelings and proceeded to look at the menu. It wasn't dinner so she didn't have to order a meal, which she found hard considering he always insisted on paying. The waiter took their orders and both of them kept quiet. Yi Jeong still had that look on his face and he wasn't looking straight at her, Ga Eul was playing with the tissue paper, tearing it apart just for something to do. The situation got even more awkward as two girls made their way to their table.

"Yi Jeong oppa!" one girl said. She had tight clothes on and a short skirt that Ga Eul had to wonder how she wasn't freezing her ass off. She hoped she would.

"Oh. Hi." He said, awkwardly, looking at Ga Eul for her reaction. She gave him the same hard look he gave her.

"How are you? We haven't seen you in soooo long!" the other girl said. Ga Eul wasn't a violent person but she had her moments. Like right now, when she was resisting the urge to pull the girl's ridiculous ponytail.

"I've been away. This is Ga Eul." he gestured to her. The girls looked at Ga Eul, criticizing, as if wondering why someone so ordinary would be hanging out with their beloved 'oppa'. Ga Eul gave them a smile. The girls didn't even nod their heads in acknowledgement as they continued their conversation with Yi Jeong. He looked like he would kill to be anywhere else but there. Still, that didn't stop Ga Eul from feeling all ignored. When did she start being like this? Like one of those bimbos who constantly wanted his attention. Luckily, their orders arrived and the two girls had sense enough to leave them. It was Yi Jeong's turn to ask questions.

"Why so quiet, Ga Eul yang?"

"Nothing, I'm fine." She shrugged. She was having blueberry cheesecake and so she concentrated on devouring it.

"We're not rushing, Ga Eul yang." He told her, noticing her sudden anger. She didn't even look up at him and just continued eating.

"I'm ready to go." She said, as she finished her cake in record time. Yi Jeong smiled at her obvious actions.

"You're jealous, huh?" he imitated her. Ga Eul narrowed her eyes at him.

"Please, sunbae. Don't flatter yourself." Yi Jeong just grinned knowingly.

"Whatever you say, Ga Eul yang." He continued on eating his cake. Ga Eul just sat there, uneasy. She felt like she was going to blow up if she didn't ask, so she did, without thinking…

"Who were they?" her tone surprised Yi Jeong. She sounded…possessive. Yi Jeong had to smirk.

"So you are jealous?"

"Stop that, sunbae. I'm just…asking." She wanted so much to wipe that stupid smirk on his face. She frowned as she realized his smirk just grew wider.

"Just some friends I met in some party, you sure you're not a teensy bit jealous?" It was his turn to tease and he was enjoying Ga Eul's reactions.

"NO!" she said a little too quickly which caused Yi Jeong to chuckle.

"Okay, Ga Eul yang. Just so you know, those two couldn't hold a candle against you." She smirked as Ga Eul blushed. She was really pissed now. How dare he maker her fell all these things?

"I think you should take me home, sunbae." She said with a straight face.

"You're not mad, are you?" he said, playfully. Ga Eul frowned at him.

"Take me home, sunbae." She kept her face straight, not daring to look at him in the eye. Yi Jeong stood up and Ga Eul followed. The moment the night air hit them, Ga Eul shivered. Yi Jeong instinctively shrugged his coat off and put it around her. She glanced at him and he looked away, trying to hide his small smile. She wrapped it tightly around her and they started walking to her house. The walk was anything but comfortable. Yi Jeong kept looking at her, gauging her expression. She kept a straight face while holding on to his coat. They arrived at her house and she took off the coat, handing it back to him without saying anything.

"Ga Eul yang," he finally said.

"Sunbae," she responded.

"I'm really sorry if those girls upset you." He told her, honsetly. She didn't fight his assumption anymore. She couldn't figure it out either. One minute, it was him who was jealous, and then her the next. What right did they both have to get jealous anyway? They were just friends…right?

"It's fine. Good night, sunbae." She smiled a small one at him, letting him know she wasn't _that_ upset. She quickly entered her house and sighed. She needed to do something about this. She knew Yi Jeong's a changed man but what if he gets tempted by those girls? She needed to investigate. She needed to know that he was worth getting back in the ring again. Her thoughts traveled back four years ago when Jan Di dragged Jun Pyo to spy at them on their 'date'. She smirked as she realized what she needed to do.


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: I'm so very sorry for the mix up! The documents got shuffled and I didn't even bother to check if I posted the right chapter. Sorry! I do hope you enjoy this chapter. :)**

Chu Ga Eul was a girl on a mission. She walked briskly through the hospital halls in frantic search of her best friend. The plan was to drag her to go spying with her no matter what. Jan Di may not be the sleuth that she deluded herself into thinking she was but she was the best Ga Eul could do. She passed the windows and managed to get a glimpse of herself. Her hair was everywhere and her eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep. She was up all night thinking whether or not she should go through with her plan. What were her reasons anyway? To prove that he was faithful? But why would he be faithful to her? They were just friends right? Why did she even tell him that in the first place?! These thoughts kept her up all night and her mood wasn't something the 3 cups of brewed coffee she downed this morning could fix. She kept looking until she found a room that smelled of food, a definite indication that Jan Di was inside.

--

"I'm sorry, Ga Eul, I can't."

"What?!" she asked in surprise. She was right when she entered the room. Sure enough, Jan Di was scuffing down 2 bowls of porridge. Ji Hu was asleep in a chair close by.

"I have practicals tomorrow and I need to take it if I ever want to be a licensed doctor in the future." She explained. Ga Eul felt selfish thinking Jan Di would have free time for this. She was engaged and going to Med school, petty things like Ga Eul's craziness shouldn't get in the way of her multiple activities.

"O-okay…" she said, unconvincingly. Jan Di was about to offer words of comfort when a voice butted in.

"I'll go with you." The two girls jumped in surprise as Ji Hu spoke.

"Sunbae, I thought you were asleep?" Jan Di asked him. he merely shrugged and turned his attention to Ga Eul.

"I'll go with you." He repeated. Ga Eul's eyes were wide with shock and her cheeks were red from embarrassment.

"D-did you hear everything I said, sunbae?" she asked nervously. She practically told Jan Di the whole story, including how paranoid she was. Ji Hu nodded nonchalantly.

"I'll pick you up at four in the afternoon tomorrow?" he asked. Ga Eul couldn't imagine spying on Yi Jeong with one of his best friends. Maybe this was a sign that she should just go home and forget all about investigating Yi Jeong's character. But she couldn't. She needed to know, for her heart's sake. She slowly nodded at Ji Hu. He smiled as he added,

"Besides, would you really want to go spying with someone as subtle as a marching band?"

"Yah!"

--

Ji Hu was probably the most punctual member of F4. Right on the dot, fouro'clock, he arrived at Ga Eul's house riding a beat up old car that looked like all the parts had been stolen. The sight of Ji Hu inside it startled Ga Eul.

"Uh, sunbae, what is that?" she asked him, as his windows came down. They were at least tinted.

"It's a car, Ga Eul. One not too ostentatious, it might attract attention from Yi Jeong." He explained. Ga Eul suddenly felt relieved that she went with Ji Hu and not Jan Di. The memory of Jan Di facing the wall, acting like it camouflaged her, wouldn't get out of her mind.

"I'm impressed, sunbae." She told him as he opened the door to get in. she was surprised to see him dressed in jeans and a shirt. He really was good at this. Probably the only thing that didn't make them look like average commoners was the casually dressed driver. Ga Eul knew about Ji Hu's issue with cars so she didn't dwell into the topic anymore.

"Won't Yi Jeong be at your place today?" Ji Hu asked. Ga Eul shook her head.

"No. I told him I'd be at a teacher's seminar for the whole day." She answered him. This would be the first day since they decided to become friends that they won't see each other. Well, Ga Eul would see him but he wouldn't know that.

"Okay, I have a hunch on where he would be." He instructed the driver on where to go. Ga Eul sat back and tried to think about the possible outcomes of this plan. What if she wounds up seeing with another girl? Would her heart really be strong enough to let him go again?

"Ga Eul, look out," she did as she was told. Outside, she saw Yi Jeong's orange car parked in front of a flower shop.

"How'd you know he'd be here?" she asked her companion. He smiled at her and put on his sunglasses.

"I heard him order flowers here yesterday." He answered. He gave Ga Eul a pair as well.

They put the windows down and sat back. A few minutes passed and Yi Jeong came out with a bouquet of purple flowers.

"Purple, huh? I'm surprised he didn't go for classic red roses. I would have thought you'd like that." Ji Hu commented. Ga Eul beamed.

"I told him I didn't like red roses." She said, thinking back tot hat night he came to see her. That night she told him of every hurt that she felt. She cringed as she remembers his broken face.

"Let's go follow him." Ji Hu told the driver to stay at least two cars behind Yi Jeong so as to avoid all suspicions.

"You're really good at this, sunbae." She complimented him. Ji Hu crossed his arms and turned to her.

"So, how are things with you two?" he asked. Ga Eul seemed surprised at the question. She wasn't use to Ji Hu being interested in much things.

"Well, we're friends….but, uh…" she wasn't sure how to describe the relationship they had. they hung out everyday, they had fun, they get jealous over each other, they were so interested in each other's lives that one has to resort to the idea of spying…she couldn't say but she was quite sure that wasn't something normal friends do.

"But what?" he asked. His tone made Ga Eul want to tell him everything. What was that, like his special gift?

"We act like we're more that that." she told him. JI Hu smiled.

"Maybe you are." Ga Eul's retort came quickly.

"We're not! I told him I just wanted friendship for now."

"Why _did _you tell him that?" he sounded really curious. It was hard not to give in to that tone.

"Because I needed to be sure first before getting into anything. You saw me after he left sunbae. You knew how it was for me." She explained. She was pretty sure Ji Hu was about to vomit from all the mushiness. He didn't, though, instead he nodded understandingly.

"Is that why you're doing this too?" he asked, referring to the spying.

"Yes. I guess you can say I'm scared." Before Ji Hu could ask why, they saw Yi Jeong's car park in front of a bakery. They stopped on the other side of the street. Before getting in, Yi Jeong took a look at his surroundings and almost spotted Ga Eul and Ji Hu. Itw as a good thing the violinist had quick reflex and immediately pulled down Ga Eul with him.

"That was close." She said. They waited in silence for Yi Jeong to come out. A few minutes later, he appeared with two boxes of what appeared to be cake.

"You're that much of a cake lover, huh, Ga Eul?" instead of denying it, Ga Eul smiled. It wasn't because she loved cakes, which she did, but because she remembers something about the cake. That was the exact same box that contained the cake he gave her when he thought it was her birthday Four years ago. They never got to eat that cake together. After her minute of happiness, worry dawned upon her as she sighted a woman about her age come up to Yi Jeong.

"Sunbae, look!" she pointed out. Ji Hu and looked and watched the two. The girl seemed to be asking Yi Jeong whose cake were those. Yi Jeong smiled at her and answered, though they couldn't hear what he said. The girl looked quite disappointed at his reply and Yi Jeong placed the two boxes on top of his car and fished something out of his pocket. It was his cell phone. He showed it to the girl beside him and she smiled. Ga Eul watched this with apprehension etched on her face. Why did they seem so happy? Was he flirting with her?

"I'll bet you my medical degree that he just showed her your picture." Ji Hu suddenly said. Ga Eul as suddenly snapped out of her thoughts.

"What? Why would he do that?" Ji Hu shrugged.

"It won't be the first time." she knew by his tone that he wasn't saying it to make her feel better. Ga Eul looked back outside and watched Yi Jeong wave to the girl and get on his car.

"Are you satisfied now?" Ji Hu asked with a tone of teasing.

"Just one more." Ga Eul said. Ji Hu nodded and asked the driver to follow Yi Jeong again. Yi Jeong's stop was at the gate of a small village. He parked his car outside the gate and walked into the line of houses.

"Who lives here?" Ga Eul asked.

"Beats me. Let's go find out."

"You mean were getting out of the car?" Ga Eul didn't think she liked that idea. It was so easy to get caught without the protection of tinted windows.

"Don't forget who you're with, Ga Eul." she thought back on how smooth this day has been going. She agreed and slid out of the car. They waled several feet behind him, dawning hats and sunglasses. She had to admit, they looked like regular citizens with no hidden agendas. They saw that Yi Jeong was carrying one of the cakes he bought. This got Ga Eul suspicious. Yi Jeong stopped in front of a old fashioned brick house. He rang the doorbell. The two spies leaned back on one of the houses out of Yi Jeong's sight. They saw a woman dressed in kitchen clothes come out. He seemed to be introducing herself and not long after, a little girl with curly hair ran outside to greet him.

"Joo Eun?"

"You know her?" Ji Hu asked.

"She's a student of mine. She got to meet Yi Jeong a couple of days ago when he visited." She answered, still surprised by Yi Jeong's gesture.

"They seem really close." JI Hu commented.

"Yi Jeong got really fond of her, she's bright and peppy. They didn't get to spend much time with each other, though 'cause she got sent home because of fever." She explained, a huge smile on her face.

"So that's why he brought her cake?"

"I remember hearing them talk about Joo Eun's sweet tooth." She thought back on that day again and she had to admit how amazed she was at Yi Jeong for getting along so quickly with her students.

"Yi Jeong's coming back." they immediately turned around so Yi Jeong could pass by them without him noticing. Ga Eul leaned on the house, her back facing Yi Jeong, while Ji Hu sat down on the ground, his head on his knees. Yi Jeong was clueless. They mad eit to their car without Yi Jeong noticing.

"We make a pretty good team, sunbae."she told him once they were safe inside the car.

"I can't say I disagree, Ga Eul."

--

They have been following Yi Jeong around for almost an hour and a half now and he still hasn't stopped. Ga Eul won't be surprised if they were just going around in circles.

"Where is he going?" she demanded. Ji Hu fished out his phone.

"Let's ask." Yi Jeong answered after one ring.

"Yi Jeong, where are you?" Ji Hu asked. Pause.

"Oh, why?" Pause.

"I see. You miss her, huh?" he looked at Ga Eul and grinned. Pause.

"Okay, I'll see you there." Ji Hu hung up and turned to Ga Eul.

"Looks like he was just driving around, trying to pass the time."

"He didn't have anywhere to be?" Ga Eul asked.

"He said he cancelled everything because he was supposed to take you out for the whole day to make up for two nights ago." Ga Eul suddenly felt guilty. Why did he have to be so perfect today?

"Oh. Where did you say you were going to meet him?" she asked him.

"At the lounge. How 'bout I text him and tell him I'll pick you up? I'm sure you missed him today." Ga Eul nodded happily. It was so easy to let out emotions with Ji Hu.

They arrived at the lounge twenty minutes later. Yi Jeong was already there.

"Ga Eul yang, are you still mad?" he immediately said as he came up to her. She gave him a small smile.

"Not even a bit, sunbae." He smiled genuinely and they sat down and talked for a while before Jun Pyo, Woo Bin and Jan Di arrived. Woo Bin dragged him to play pool with him. Jun Pyo and Jan Di were teasing each other by the video sat there, watching them. She felt Ji Hu seat beside her.

"Do you ever regret it, sunbae?" she asked him, needing not to say what 'it' was as they both looked at the engaged couple fighting like a couple of teenagers.

"Everyday." He answered honestly. Ga Eul was silent. She thought about Jan Di and Ji Hu's relationship. If Ji Hu had realized his feelings for Jan Di before she gave up on him. what would have happened? It was classic case of a love too late. She didn't want to think about what would happen if she and Yi Jeong should be in the same case.

"I don't think much would have changed, though. Jan Di would still end up Jun Pyo." He said, surely.

"Why would you say that?"

"Ga Eul, in this life, we don't choose who were going to be with. It's just something that's bound to happen, one way or another." He explained to her. she was at awe with his words.

"Destiny?" he nodded.

"So if I were you, I wouldn't worry about Yi Jeong giving up." Ga Eul looked at him with a surprised expression. She was about to ask him how he knew but then she remembered who she was talking to. Yoon Ji Hu probably knew there was something between them before they both did.

"Even if he did, you shouldn't worry still."

"Why's that?" she asked, curiously. He always seemed so sure about everything.

"People who are destined to be with each other will find their way back no matter what." Ji Hu smiled as he felt reality dawn upon Ga Eul.


	12. Chapter 12

**A whole lot of thanks to MidnightDew for giving me the idea for this chapter! :)**

Yi Jeong clenched his fists and tried desperately to hide his jealousy at the sight before him. It was an epic fail on his side considering he looked like he could kill someone. It was supposed to be a happy night for the group. They were all having dinner together at an Italian place Jun Pyo picked out to celebrate. What they were celebrating, Yi Jeong didn't know. The couple was going to get married in two days time so he supposed they were celebrating that. But he really couldn't be sure as he was not paying attention to whatever Jun Pyo and Jan Di were saying over dinner. His attention was solely on the two people sitting in front of him.

"Bro, you okay?" Woo Bin asked, noticing his tense state. They were all almost done with dinner, but Yi Jeong's food remained untouched. His gaze slowly leaves the two and turns to Woo Bin.

"Just great." he answered. Ji Hu and Ga Eul were sitting next to each other, talking to each other and laughing carelessly. How the hell could he be okay? Ga Eul didn't even acknowledge him when he arrived. No, she was too engrossed with Ji Hu to even notice him sit in front of her.

"And then?" He heard Ga Eul say. Ji Hu seemed to be in the middle of telling a story. And what a very amusing story it was considering Ga Eul's wide grin. Ji Hu continued his story in a hush tone. Yi Jeong felt like puking.

"Yah, Yi Jeong!" he turned to Woo Bin beside him.

"What?" he demanded. Couldn't he see that he was in the middle of a very serious meeting with himself? Yi Jeong winced at his own thought. Man, he was getting crazy.

"If you stare at them any longer, your eye balls would pop out."

"Who the hell's staring? I was…thinking." What a pitiful excuse, even Yi Jeong knew that. But he couldn't admit his insecurity to anyone, not even to his best friend. How pathetic was it that he felt jealous at Ga Eul and Ji Hu's relationship? Ji Hu of all people! He was one of his oldest friends. Yi Jeong was even supposed to feel glad that all his good friends got along with his girlfriend. Or rather his girl-space-friend, but whatever. Truthfully, it wasn't Ji Hu he was worried about. No, he knew that Ji Hu would never do that to him. It was Ga Eul that bugs him. What if she falls for Ji Hu? He's always been the sweet and sensitive one of the group. Don't all good girls want that? His thoughts were once again disturbed by Don Juan.

"Do anymore thinking and you're brain would just explode, like, boom." Yi Jeong looks at him strangely. Where the hell does he get this stuff?

"What? You think I only speak gangster?" Woo Bin gives him a shove and turned his attention to where Yi Jeong was staring.

"You do know they're just friends, right?" Right then, Ga Eul gestures to her ear, as if telling Ji Hu that she couldn't hear him. He leans closer to her to whisper. He clearly saw the blush that crept up Ga Eul's face. Yi Jeong stands up noisily causing the whole table to look at him.

"Excuse me." he says before leaving. _Friends my ass._

--

"Sunbae, maybe I should go follow him?" she asks uncertainly at Ji Hu. He looks knowingly at her.

"What happened to letting him think what he wants?" Ga Eul didn't have an answer to that. Yes, she did say that. But that was before seeing Yi Jeong's reaction. He seemed really angry and she didn't mean for that to happen. She and Ji Hu have just grown close since their little spying trip. She didn't know he'd get so affected.

"Go and do what you have to, Ga Eul." she didn't need to be told twice. She stood up and excused herself from the rest of the group. She turned to Ji Hu last and he gave her an encouraging nod. He knew Yi Jeong would react that way, he has been waiting for it all night. Yes, he supposed he could've told that to the naïve Ga Eul but she needed to figure it for herself. Maybe it was her turn to stop being insensitive. It was funny how the two of them kept fighting what was bound to happen anyway. It was like trying to stop a swing from stopping. It just wouldn't happen because somehow they'd get tired of pushing and pulling. Eventually they'd get tired of going back and forth; they'd get tired of setting the other person too high or too low. That would be the time they reach steadiness, something Ji Hu knew they've both been longing for.

--

His car was already gone when she reached the parking lot. Her mind wandered on two options on where he would go. The first one would be him locking himself in his studio and drinking the night away. The second one would be him going to a club with girls surrounding him and drinking the night away. And maybe getting some if the girls got drunk too, which was most likely to happen. None of the options fit in well with Ga Eul which is why she needed to know which option he took. She tried calling him but he switched off his phone, or maybe the club was out of coverage. She cringed at the thought of Yi Jeong and girls around him. But he wouldn't do that to her, would he? He couldn't, not after everything he's said. She needed to trust him. After spying on him and seeing how true he was, what right did she have to doubt? Yet, she hung out with Ji Hu tonight knowing, maybe subconsciously, that Yi Jeong would get jealous. Maybe that's what she wanted to happen, to see if he really did want her. As she thought about the past months that Yi Jeong has been pursuing her, what reason did she have in saying he didn't? Ga Eul mentally slapped herself for her cruelty. She was going to have to apologize. She decided to try the first option, the one that would hurt much less.

She was beyond glad to see his car parked in front of his studio. She walked nervously to his front door. What was she going to say to him? What if he didn't want to talk to her? What if he was already drunk of his ass? She swallowed and slowly put her hand to the knob, trying her luck. She was glad to find it open. She walked right in, closing it gently behind her. Yi Jeong had his back to the door and as expected, a bottle of scotch was sitting in the counter. Ga Eul was surprised to find it unopened.

"Sunbae?" her voice was small and she was surprised that he had heard her. He turned to her with still angry eyes. He stood up and walked closer to Ga Eul.

"What do you want?" Ga Eul felt her heart break at the sudden coldness. Ever since his return, it was her that has always been cold. Not the other way around.

"I'm sorry if me hanging out with Ji Hu sunbae upset you." She started. She heard Yi Jeong let out a sound of disbelief.

"If it upset me? How else would it have made me feel?" he countered. He desperately wanted to tell her how much rage and jealousy he felt at the moment. But he knew what her response would be. What right do you have, Yi Jeong?

"You don't have to raise your voice at me." Ga Eul's new found pride was taking over her again. She was so sure of her apology on the way here but his words were starting to make it hard for her. She knew she was the one at fault for this one, but what about all the other times? What about the last four years?

"Did you even think about how I would feel?" There, he said it. He couldn't keep it in any longer. He needed her to know that he had feelings too, that she wasn't the only with the right to get hurt.

"What right to do you have to say that?" she demanded. He had been right about her reaction. This was the typical Ga Eul 2.0 reaction.

"Of course, I have no right. I was the one who didn't call you for four years. I was the coward who ran away from his feelings. But I've been trying, trying to get that image of me off you. But how am I supposed to do that when that's all you ever try to remember?" he didn't know where that came from. He wasn't planning on saying that to her, ever. But they say honesty is the best thing for a relationship. He silently prayed that that was honest enough.

"What do you want me to do, sunbae? Just forget about everything so suddenly? Well, I can't and if you can't deal with that then I don't know why you're still wasting your time on me." She wanted to walk out of his studio so bad. But his hand that shot up to her wrist stopped her.

"That's not what I meant and you know that."

"Maybe you giving up would be the best for both of us." she didn't mean that. Not even in the slightest bit. But she was angry and she was bitter, all the makings of a perfectly good liar.

"Please stop pushing me away." His voice, so angry and cold just moments ago, turned soft and uncertain. Ga Eul couldn't look at him without feeling guilty.

"I'll see you at the wedding, sunbae." She broke away from him. She walked out the door, refusing to turn and let him see her tears. She didn't even know why she was crying. It could be because of her anger at him and the way he accused her of pushing him away, or maybe it was her anger at herself, because somehow she knew he could be right. Maybe _she _was the coward who ran away from her feelings.

He wanted to run after her, really he did. But he knew it would just cause even more trouble for them. They were both in no state to communicate with each other decently and he didn't want to ruin his chances with her anymore than it already was. But he's already gone this far in trying to win her back, and even if he wanted to, which he didn't, there was no way now that he would let her go because somehow, he knew, that no matter what it would still be her, always her, that he'd be longing for. And no amount of pushing would ever be able to change that, so she can just shove the idea of him giving up out of her pretty head.

**Review, please. :D**


	13. Chapter 13

Confrontations were never her thing. When they were kids, Jan Di would always be the one defending her from all the bullies and even up to the time she was cheated on by that scum Soo Pyo, Jan Di was the one who told him off and spin kicked him. Ga Eul was never one to come up to the person first, until she met a certain So Yi Jeong. She hated to admit it, but everything was different with him. All her life, she thought that she'd meet her soulmate maybe some place romantic like Paris or in a plane, they'd be perfect for each other, rarely arguing and always getting along. He wouldn't get to her nerve almost thrice a day and he definitely wouldn't have hurt so many times. She never imagined herself to be the kind of girl who would go to almost every building roof in Seoul just to find something to make sure they guy she loved found out how it was to regret, specifically letting of his first love. Quite stupid, huh? She was also never one to confess first to a guy, much less ask him out. She was never the kind of girl, who stayed and stayed, even if she knew he might never love her back. But she wasn't really being that kind of girl to him now, was she? No, she was cold and filled with pride, refusing to admit, even to herself, that she had lost this fight. But what was she fighting for anyway? She couldn't even remember now.

"Sunbae, I'm sorry." Ga Eul says to the mirror for the umpteenth time. She groaned in frustration at how scripted that sounded.

"Please forgive me!" _Too desperate._

"Sunbae, if you would just listen…I'm sorry!" _Too pleading._

"If I could go back in time, I would. I would go back to that day and..._." Too dramatic. _

Nothing was working! She was going to see him in less than half an hour and she still had no idea on what she was going to tell him. She stood there in front of the mirror, in her bridesmaid's dress, wondering if he would even accept what she had to say. She hears an impatient knock on her door.

"Ga Eul! Come out already. It's usually the bride who's late, not the bridesmaids." She quickly comes out, meeting the other bridesmaid, the very excited one, Ha Jae Kyung.

"And it's usually the bride who is excited, not the bridesmaid." She tells her as they make their way to black car that was to take them to the garden where Jan Di and Jun pyo were getting married.

"I can't help it! There's just something about witnessing two soulmates commit to start the rest of their lives together. Even if, you know, I was once in love with the knucklehead who is getting married." Ga Eul couldn't help but admire Jae Kyung's strength. They all knew it wasn't easy for her, but like Ji Hu, she has accepted that they were just mere instruments for Jan Di and Jun Pyo to have their happy ending. But she was going to have her own happy ending someday, and so would Ji Hu, it would be unfair if two selfless people wouldn't. But Jae Kyung's use of the term 'soulmate' brings Ga Eul back to her problem. What the hell was she going to say to him?

--

Yi Jeong's breathe hitches as he watches her walk down that aisle. She was in her purple bridesmaid's dress, a similarily colored flower tucked on her right ear. She barely had make-up on and compared to the heiresses from different countries that Jun Pyo's mom invited here, she looked pretty normal. But Yi Jeong doesn't think he's seen anything or anyone as beautiful.

She slowly walks to other side of the best men, Jae Kyung right in front of her. She feels Yi Jeong's eyes on her but she doesn't dare to look back. But her position in the altar leaves her no choice. She looks at him and he smiles. Her heart immediately melts. How could he smile after everything she's said? Was she already forgiven?

Yi Jeong wishes he could've talked to her before the wedding started. They both said a lot of things the other night, and he wishes he could apologize about the way he acted. But the wedding immediately started at their arrival with Jan Di and he didn't get a chance. So instead, he smiles at her when she finally decides to meet his eyes. He sees a blush creep up her cheek and he couldn't help but feel proud, even when they were fighting, he still had that effect on her.

The ceremony goes on smoothly, surprisingly. Jun Pyo didn't choke as he recited his written vows and Jan Di managed to limit her use of violent words in hers. They were both happy, anyone could see that and as they walk down in front of people present in the ceremony, Ga Eul couldn't help the tear falling anymore. She doesn't even realize who she was standing next to. She sees something from the corner of her eye, a hand handing out something to her. A handkerchief and it was purple. She didn't need to look up to see who it was instead; she reaches out to take it.

--

The reception party was at full blast and everyone was celebrating the couple. It wasn't a usual reception that the rich people were used to. It was held in Jun Pyo and Jan Di's 'special' place, the one where he waited all night in the rain for her. Jun Pyo had rented the whole open space and Jan Di took over the preparations. She already handed the wedding planning to Jun Pyo's mom, it was a part of their deal that she would get the reception. Drinks were served and lively music was playing. Everyone in the place was mingling with each other drinking and having fun. So it was weird that Ga Eul and Yi Jeong would find themselves alone in one of the benches they had set up there, looking at the party in full view.

"They look incredibly happy." She tells him as Jun Pyo and Jan Di share their first dance in the make shift dance floor in the middle of the place. They have been sitting here for a while now, not one of them speaking. It was a comfortable silence, but they had things to talk about.

"They do" he agrees. He looks over at her, seeing her eyes sparkle at the display of love in front of her. He silently vows to keep that sparkle in her eyes forever.

"Sunbae," she starts. As much as she enjoyed their small words, this needed to be done. "I'm sorry."

He looks at her, as if disbelieving that she was actually the first to talk. She looks back at him and she the sincerity in her face breaks his heart. He didn't deserve this.

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted that way…"

"But I shouldn't have given you a reason to. I was insensitive and…"

"I was being childish and stupid…."

"And I was being rash and unreasonable…" they finally stop talking and just sit there, looking straight at each other's eyes.

"Forgive me?" they both say at the same time. They laugh and Ga quickly nod her head in delight. Yi Jeong pinches her nose and feels her shiver. At his touch or at the cold, he couldn't tell. He'd like to think it was because of him. Either way, he shrugs off his coat and wraps it around her. She smiles up at him and looks back at the happy couple in front of them. Jun pyo was now talking to everyone at the place, saying she he had a surprise for his most beloved girl. And then, one by one, the lights of the building in front of them up, with different colors. And soon, the whole place was lighting up. it was like something out of a movie.

"It's beautiful." Yi Jeong looks at Ga Eul as the lights around them twinkle in her eyes. He stared at her and wonders what someone so beautiful, inside and out, was doing sitting here with him and in his life.

"Yeah, it is."

Ga Eul gets a mischievous gleam in her eyes. She smirks but she doesn't look at him.

"Are you doing that thing in the movies where the girl says something is beautiful and the guy agrees but he's really looking at her?" she looks at him after saying this, she was in full tease mode now. Damn, she was good.

"You sure do know how to ruin a moment Ga Eul yang." He tells her as he hesitantly looks away. He smiles as she laughs heartily at his expense.

"You're too cute, sunbae." Now, that he couldn't let her get away with. Cute? Him?

"Cute? Definitely not. Maybe you mean dashing or handsome or incredibly attractive. Cute is for dogs, Ga Eul yang." He finishes. He was supposed to say something else but he forgets everything as his whole body gets tense as she leans his head into hers.

For a moment, it was just them in the whole place. There was no dancing, or music, just them. Suddenly all the history, and the pain and the hurting, ceased to matter as they sat their next to each other. It was as if the whole world has stopped for them and for that single moment, they forget about their fight, the unsent letters and the missed birthdays. They realize they both need this, this escape from the world they were sucked in, a rest from this game they were playing. They were both tired of fighting it and as the night go on around them, they wonder why they fought for the things they did when giving up felt this good.

"I still think you're cute, sunbae."


	14. Chapter 14

The bright sun that shined through his window seemed to mirror Yi Jeong's mood. It was a good day. Scratch that, it was a great day. It was an amazingly perfect day! The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, it was a great time to be alive! That might sound awfully cliché to some, but they weren't spending the day with Chu Ga Eul so what the hell would they know about a perfect day? It's been two days since the wedding, two days since they began a new chapter in their relationship. They still weren't together (not that he didn't hope) but they have a come to an understanding of some sorts. They weren't together but they weren't _just _friends either. So it fell down somewhere in the middle, he supposes. So, okay, he admits that being 'somewhere in the middle' isn't something one should be _this _happy about. But there was just something about today; it was as if every moment felt like it should be spent happy. He doesn't even get himself. But, hey, he'll take whatever he can if it means it's with his Ga Eul yang. Man, when did he become so sappy?

Today would be their first official date as a 'somewhere in between' couple. He was excited, too excited for his own good. He got up way too early and he was way too giddy too. The housekeepers didn't fail to notice.

"Have you seen the young master today?" one helper asked her companion. She nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes, how could I not? He practically bounced through the whole house." She wasn't lying about this. When their young master woke up a little while ago, he made it a point to greet every maid that he passed. None of them were used to this kind of behavior from the usually silent and cool Yi Jeong.

"I don't think I've seen that smile of his since…well, since…a long time ago, actually." The other commented. It was true, Yi Jeong wasn't mean to them or anything, he just wasn't that chirpy.

"Me either. I wonder what's up with him."

"Do you even have to ask? There's only one reason, and one reason alone, why someone would act so out of character. Our young master's in love."

Yi Jeong couldn't help but overhear that last bit from one of his housekeepers. Instead of feeling insulted by their assumption, he smiled. They thought he was in love? He didn't find anything wrong with that. No, there was definitely nothing wrong with that.

--

Ga Eul couldn't help but smile at her calendar. Yi Jeong didn't know this but today was the sixth year anniversary of the day they first met, when he dragged her out of the porridge shop to talk to her about Jun Pyo and Jan Di's relationship. God, she was pissed that day. But, like any other schoolgirl her age at that time, she recorded that date in her diary. So now it was forever stuck in her head, the day So Yi Jeong came into her life and made her realize how it was to actually _live_ outside her fairytale fantasies.

This was actually the main reason why she wanted to have their date today. She wanted to make this day even more significant for them. She couldn't help but admit that it did feel good to slowly open herself up again to him. This time without being scared that once she turns around, he'd be back to playing with her heart again. She gave him that something he has been working for ever since he got back, her trust. But he didn't know that. No, not yet anyway. Sure, he knew things have changed between them, but she doubts he knows the changes have gone that far, far enough for her to trust him again with her whole heart.

It wasn't an easy process for her. No, definitely not. It took a lot of crying, a lot of thinking and a whole lot of arguing with herself to get her to trust him again. But in the end, it all came down to one thing…to whether she could live without him or not. And she found her answer in a very realistic way, a very convincingly realistic way.

She looked at her watch. She was set to meet Yi Jeong for lunch today and she still had one hour minutes before she needed to leave. She thinks about what she can do to past the time. She smiles as an incredibly brilliant idea hits her.

--

Yi Jeong looks at his watch and realizes he still has one hour before meeting time. He sighs a deep sigh, looks like he got ready too early. He slumps on his chair and wonders what he could do to make time go faster. He didn't want to drive down the restaurant already; he'd look stupid waiting there for one whole hour. He didn't need to think that long when a certain best friend walked in his bedroom.

"Yo bro, you going somewhere?" Woo Bin asks, noticing Yi Jeong all dressed up.

"I'm meeting up with Ga Eul yang in an hour. Until then, I've got nothing do." He told him, expressing his deep want for time to go faster. Maybe he should just pick her up?

No, he didn't want to seem too excited even though, you know, he was.

"Ah, I see. Why don't you go and get her something on the way?" Woo Bin suggests and Yi Jeong feels like he could kiss him, In a totally brotherly way, of course. He couldn't believe he hasn't thought about it sooner. But what could he get her? No way he'd make it in time for their date if he went by the mall first. Besides, Ga Eul liked the simple things better.

"I think I'm going to get her flowers, the ones that are sold near the school." he told Woo Bin. He stands up and gets ready to go.

"Cool, I'll go with you." He says and Yi Jeong gets a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"You buying flowers for anyone, Woo Bin?" he asks teasingly and Woo Bin just shrugs, neither denying nor confirming anything. Yi Jeong makes it a point to ask more about this next time. Today was all about him and Ga Eul.

--

They arrive at the flower shop, driving side by side, in a matter of minutes. Yi Jeong gets out first, getting ready to cross the street. Woo Bin comes out, phone on his ear, and tells Yi Jeong to go ahead because of his phone call.

"I'll get a dozen of these." He told the saleslady, pointing at the purple flowers by the counter. Ga Eul didn't like roses, he knew that. He also knew that she smiled so big that day he handed her these exact kinds of flowers that day at their lounge. So he assumed it was her favorite but he wasn't sure, he made a mental not to ask her about it later.

"Would you like a card, sir?" the girl asks and Yi Jeong nods. He knew exactly what to put on the card. The saleslady hands him the bouquet and he scribbles his note on the card, smiling wildly at his words. He was such a poet at times.

He comes out of the shop, still in a smiling spree. He notices Woo Bin is still not finished with his phone call. It must be pretty important. He crosses the street and the wind blew hard, causing the attached card to get detached and fall to the ground. Yi Jeong picks it up, not noticing the car that was driving towards him at that very moment. He hears a shout come from Woo Bin but it was too late. The car sped forward and in a very sudden second, everything went black.

"Yi Jeong!"


	15. Chapter 15

The last thing she remembers is dropping her phone to the floor. She doesn't remember going to the hospital, she doesn't even remember how she got there. Her mind hadn't registered anything since Jan Di's call to let her know about Yi Jeong's accident.

"_He got run over by a car by the school…"_

No, no, no. This couldn't be happening. Not now, not when things were going so well for them. Not when things were perfect. How…how did this even happen?

"_He was crossing the street to get to his car…"_

Then why wasn't he looking both ways? God, did his parents _forget _to teach him that? Of all the things Yi Jeong knew, he just had to not know how to cross a street?

It didn't make sense. None of it made sense. Why would Yi Jeong cross the street, anyway? He has car. So it couldn't have happened. No, no, no. Jan Di was probably just pulling her leg. This has got to be some kind of joke. He couldn't…he couldn't be…

"_He's getting surgery as we speak, we're on our way there…do you want us to pick you up?"_

Ga Eul doesn't even remember how she answered that. That was probably the time the whole thing had sunk in and she dropped her phone. This couldn't be happening, she kept repeating to herself. It just couldn't be. So many questions clouded her mind. Why now? Why them? Did the people up there really didn't want them together? Was there some heavenly force that was trying to pull them apart? Was this really how their relationship was destined to end? All those fights, all those tears, all those laughter…were all just leading up to this? _No, please no…_

Now she was at the hospital, though her memory of how she got there still isn't working. She doesn't think she's spoken a word since she got here, not one, to any of them. She feels Jan Di wrap a comforting arm around her. But she doesn't react; she doesn't have the energy to do so. Shock has prevented her to do anything other than stare straight ahead. She hasn't even shed a single tear.

The door opening woke Ga Eul up from her trance. The doctor who had just done surgery to Yi Jeong made his way to them.

"How is he?" Woo Bin immediately asks. He couldn't believe how all of it happened so quickly. One minute he was just right in front of him, all smiles as he held the flowers he had just bought and then the next, he was being run over by a car. It was too surreal.

"The operation was a success. But we still can't be sure about his condition, for now he's still unconscious." The doctor tells them and they hear a noise from behind them. They see Ga Eul's back, running away from the group. Jan Di attempts to follow her but Ji Hu holds out an arm to stop her.

"She needs to be alone for now."

--

Ga Eul doesn't know where she's going; all she knows is that she needed to get out of there. The hospital, it was too suffocating for her. She couldn't handle it, not any of it. She needed time to think, she needed…God, she needed to cry. But she wouldn't, she didn't want to. Even if she did, nothing came out. It was as if her brain held a rope to reel back all her tears. She finds this comforting…this meant she was strong, right?

She ends up not leaving the hospital, anyway. Too afraid to face a world where almost everything reminded him of Yi Jeong. She might lose it, and she wouldn't lose it. She was not going to cry…no, she was better than that. Wasn't that what those four years of pretending she was okay for? She wanted to show everyone that she _was _strong, that she wasn't little, vulnerable Ga Eul anymore. So what was the point of those four years if she was just going to be crying in the streets again, like before?

So she finds herself in the chapel of the hospital. It was small and quiet. There was only one person there other from her, an old woman. She wasn't kneeling down, like how Ga Eul pictured people in churches were. She wasn't particularly religious, so she hasn't been in a lot of churches. She sits down at the far end, two benches behind the old lady. She just sits there and looks ahead. She really didn't know what to do. She wants to blame everything on destiny, on the heavens. She wants to demand from them the reason why they would do this to her, to them. It was just too unfair. All of it was just too unfair.

"Why?" she mutters, sadly, not intending for anyone to hear her. But because of the deafening silence, the old woman looks back at her. Ga Eul doesn't know if she should apologize for disturbing her or if she should just leave. The old woman stands up and walks back to her, sitting down beside her.

"I'm sorry if I was too loud, halmoni…I'll be going on my way now…" she attempts to leave but the old lady stops her.

"You can stay, dear. I just thought you needed someone to talk to. Talking to oneself isn't really a sign of normalcy, now, is it?" Ga Eul couldn't help but flush bright red. Halmoni thought she was crazy.

"You don't need to be embarrassed. I've gone through the same thing, asking the same damn question…why?" Ga Eul couldn't deny the raw emotion she heard in her voice. She wasn't lying; she really has gone through this.

"You know, I've probably spent the most time here in this chapel than any of the other people in this hospital." She tells her and Ga Eul couldn't help but wonder why she was telling her this. She opts to just listen.

"You see, my husband got in a car accident a year ago. He got into a coma right after that. My friends, family, even the doctors told me to just give it up after six months of waiting…but I couldn't, I wouldn't." Ga Eul couldn't help the tinge in her heart as the old lady recounted these things to her. She couldn't help but feel hopeless, too…Yi Jeong was unconscious now, wasn't he? Would she be waiting for years too, before she lets it go? Would she ever be able to?

"I figured we've gone too far and worked too hard for me to give up on him just like that…" Ga Eul felt her heart break even more at the similarities she had with this woman.

Would this really endgame for them?

"But guess what, my dear? He just woke up this morning." Ga Eul couldn't believe her ears. Her husband woke up. They were going to be together again, him and this halmoni. It was like something out of a movie and movies has always managed to give her hope. Suddenly, all the fear and despair slowly made their way out of her system.

"I'm so happy to hear that, halmoni. You don't know how much I admire you for holding on." She tells her, smiling slightly but gratefully at her companion.

"It wasn't easy, I'll tell you that. But in the end, it's all worth it, believe me." Ga Eul nods but without conviction. Sure, she was hoping again but, really, what were the odds the same thing would happen to them?

"He's unconscious now. I don't know if I have your strength." she doesn't know why, but she blurts this out. The halmoni gives her a comforting smile.

"You just have to have faith…in him, in yourself, and in Him up there." Ga Eul looks shamefully at the altar. She doesn't think she's talked directly to Him since she was little, excluding a few moments ago when she was blaming everything up there. But she couldn't deny the heavy presence in her, it was time to come back, it was time to have faith.

"You'll do well, dear." The old lady left her at that. And for the first time in a long time, she kneeled down and prayed.

--

Her steps leading to his room were slow and soft. It was already quite late; she spent a lot of time in the chapel. She prayed and prayed, but she still didn't cry. Not a single tear. She opens the door and she sees Woo Bin getting ready to leave.

"Ga Eul yang, where did you go? We called you and…"

"I just needed some time alone, sunbae. I didn't mean to worry you guys…" she bowed her head a little in an apology.

"You don't need to apologize, Ga Eul yang. Are you sure you want to be here now?" Woo Bin knew it was hard for her to see Yi Jeong in this state. Maybe it was better if she went home, sleep things through. Ga Eul nods.

"Yes, sunbae. You can go now, I'll be fine here." Woo Bin opens his mouth to protest but Ga Eul waves a hand at him.

"Wait, before I go, Yi Jeong had this in his hands." She hands Ga Eul the card from the bouquet, "and those." She points to the flowers by his table.

"Now, are you sure, Ga-"

"It's okay, sunbae. You can go." Woo Bin gives a Ga Eul a one armed hug and leaves the room. Ga Eul sighs as she is alone again, with Yi Jeong. She turns around and pulls up a chair beside his bed.

"Sunbae…" she muttered. She wonders if he could hear her. She read in some books that people in comas could actually process the things happening around them. She takes her chances.

"Sunbae, I don't know if you can hear me but…what's the harm in trying, right?" she doesn't even care now that she seems crazy; there was really nothing to lose.

"Could you do me just one favor? Hold on, okay? I'm holding on here too, but I need you to do your part. You can't just not wake up, sunbae." She tells him and she laughs slightly at her urge to smack his head for being so stubborn. Why couldn't he just get up?

"I can't…I can't lose you like this, okay? So you really need to wake up because if you don't, I swear to God, I will...I will go out with Hyun Su! Understand? Now, you don't want that, right?" she scolds him. Maybe if he could really hear her, he'd get scared. She remembered how jealous he was with her student's brother.

"So just…don't go, okay? You've worked too hard in trying to win me back…you don't want that to go to waste, right?" her voice was shaking but still her eyes were dry. She figured this day has just been to draining for her to cry. She opens up the card in her hands.

_To the only girl who gave me hell because I wanted her back. You may not be mine yet, but there's no way in hell I'm giving up._

Ga Eul leaned her head on his bed and for the first time that day, she cried. Because even strong people cry, too, she reasoned to herself.


	16. Chapter 16

_Ga Eul made her way through the crowd in a daze. She could faintly hear the sobs and sniffs of the people around her. She should have expected this kind of crowd…whiny, loud and, of course, female. She was So Yi Jeong, after all. The female population was his specialty. She looked around for a familiar face, there weren't any. All she could see were faceless random women and all she could hear were their cries for him, like they were more than just one night stands, like they actually meant something to him. She wanted to slap every single one of them in the face. What right did they have to cry like that? They didn't know Yi Jeong. Not the way she did. Did they know that his eyes grow two sizes bigger when he's mad? Or that he can speak four languages? Did they know that when he was younger, his favorite game was hide and seek? Or that, even if they don't agree on everything, he would do by far anything for the F4? No, they didn't know that. But she did. She knew everything about him down to the last detail. Not because he told her, but because she pays attention, not like those sluts who thought they did. So why was it that while they were crying their hearts out, she couldn't even let one tear fall? It was unfair; she had every fucking right in the world to cry about him. It was her that meant the most to him, she knew that now. She had no doubt whatsoever on her mind anymore. But that didn't really now, did it? He was gone. Even if she got up the table and creamed to the whole room that he was painstakingly in love with him, it still wouldn't have mattered. He was gone again…only this time he wasn't coming back. And she was alone again…only this time she had no promise to hold on to anymore. _

_She stopped walking a few inches from his casket. She debated first on whether to look at it or just stay where she was standing. It was safer there, away from his handsome face. His handsome, lifeless face. She looked to her side; Woo Bin sunbae was there, his eyes red and his gaze empty, Jun Pyo and Ji Hu didn't look any different. She tried to imagine how they felt, probably like one part of their whole being was taken away. She assumed this, because that was exactly how she felt. She couldn't imagine how things would ever get back to normal after this, maybe it never would. How could she possibly show up to work everyday knowing that she would never see Yi Jeong again? It seemed impossible, all of it did. The fact that he didn't wake up anymore, the fact that now there really wasn't a possibility for them to end up together, the fact that he wasn't her soulmate…it was all impossible. This couldn't really be the end, please don't let it be…but as she walked forward and looked down to gaze at him (the masochistic part of her won), she couldn't help but feel the end slapping her in the face. He was there, it was real…she felt like all the air had been knocked out of her, she couldn't breathe, the tears started to f all non stop, she could hear her own sobs, she could feel an arm wrap around her, asking her to calm down. But she couldn't, the pain was just too much…he couldn't be gone, she kept telling herself. This couldn't be happening, they had so many plans, he had so many promises…she couldn't lose him, not now, not ever. She just couldn't, there were still so many words unsaid, so many secrets untold. She hasn't even told him she loved him yet and now…now she would never be able to. That feeling, that feeling alone hurt like hell. _

"_Sunbae…" she muttered to herself. She could feel so many people around her now; she could faintly hear their voices. She didn't care, their voice wasn't the one she longed to hear, and their arms weren't the she wanted holding her…_

"_Sunbae!"_

Ga Eul woke up to a pillow hitting her in the face. She blinked as she adjusted her eyes to the light. The ceiling was white; her back was soar…where was she? She looked to her side and her heart almost jumped out of her chest. There was Yi Jeong, leaning casually on the side of his bed, dressed in casual clothes. He had cast on his leg, a bandage on his forhead and some bruises but other than that, he seemed perfectly fine. But her dream, her dream felt so real…like he really was there in that casket, that he really was gone. But there he was, smirking at her and looking like a tragic movie star than he had any right to…so no one could really blame her when she jumped out of the couch she was sleeping on and went straight for Yi Jeong.

"Sunbae! You're…you're here." She felt like crying as she put her hand around him. He was real, this wasn't a dream…

"Of course I'd be here, Ga Eul yang. Where else would I be?" he wrapped his arm around her waist and hugged her back. It felt like weeks since he'd last seen her and her hugging him like this without a reason wasn't something he was going to complain about.

"I had a dream…" she removed her arms from him, much to Yi Jeong's dismay.

"Yeah, I figured. You were restless. I kept on nudging you to wake up but you wouldn't budge so I just threw a pillow at you…and then moved away in case you, you know, hurt me." He admitted sheepishly.

"We're not talking about you, sunbae! We're talking about my dream. And in my dream you were dead, and I was at you funeral, and there were so many people there, all girls and they were crying and sobbing and our friends were there, I was going hysterical and I was crying so hard and…and…" Yi Jeong placed his hand on her shoulders.

"Breathe for a while; would you, Ga Eul yang? I'm fine, I'm alive…that was all just a dream." He patted her head comfortingly. Ga Eul nodded and wrapped her arms around him, hugging and sandwiching him between her and his bed.

"I'm just really glad you're not dead!" she exclaimed.

"I am too, though I don't think I'd be alive any longer if you keep crushing my leg like that…" Ga Eul immediately broke free and took two big steps backward. _I should have just let her crush it, _Yi Jeong thought, already missing her warmth.

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?"

"No, no…it's fine, Ga Eul yang. Now why don't you come here and hug me again?" he smirked his Casanova smirk. Ga Eul rolled her eyes at him.

"Ha, that was a one time thing, sunbae." She informed him, giving him a smirk of her own.

"So you mean I have to get in another accident again?" he joked but Ga Eul's face got all serious and she smacked him on his arm. Hard.

"Aish, Ga Eul yang! I have bruises there!"

"How in the world could you joke about something like that?" Obviously she didn't care where the hell he had bruises because she hit him again on the same arm.

"Fine, okay. I'm sorry! You don't have to get so violent." He rubbed his painful arm. Ga Eul stuck her tongue at him.

"Why are you dressed like that already anyway?" she asked.

"Would you have preferred me in the hospital gown, Ga Eul yang?" he teased once again earning another eye roll from Ga Eul.

"As if, sunbae. I was just wondering why you're all ready to go already. Have you been released?" He checked his watch.

"About two hours ago, yeah. I was just waiting for you to wake up." he told her. He had woken up to find Ga Eul sleeping on the couch beside his bed; he didn't wake her up because she seemed so peaceful so instead he buzzed for a nurse. The doctor immediately checked him up and told him he was going to be okay but needed to stay for a while. He asked if he could just heal from home. The doctor was reluctant to let him go at first but after securing from Yi Jeong that he would hire a personal doctor, he finally agreed. It was just that Yi Jeong didn't like hospitals, it reminded him too much of his many visits to his mother.

"How long was I out? When did you wake up?" she questioned.

"Quite a long time, I didn't want to wake you up."

"So you were just watching me sleep?" Ga Eul had the smirk back on her face again. Yi Jeong was just so easy to get at times.

"Get your stuff. We're leaving now." He turned his back on her, trying to hide his embarrassment. He could hear Ga Eul's laugh from behind and her soft mumble of 'softie'.

Ga Eul laughed at his immediate change of subject. He was so a closet a softie. She also caught the fact that he didn't deny watching her sleep too. That made her smile even more.

--

Yi Jeong hopped around his room, bending every now and then to look under something. He can't he believe he lost it again, misplaced it rather. What the hell did the accident do to his brain? He hears his door opening and a familiar voice calls out.

"Yi Jeong sunbae!" he hops to his bed fast to try to act like he just got up.

"Cut the crap, sunbae. I heard you hopping two streets away." Ga Eul exaggerated. She propped down on the couch next to his bed, she had a box in hand.

"Don't tell me you lost them again. Those are crutches, sunbae! Pretty big so they're not so hard to lose."

"I didn't lose them! I swear to God, someone must be coming here every night to take it from beside my bed." He defended himself. He really never remembered where he places them, causing him to hop more than he should.

"I think you're just getting old, sunbae." She teased. He stuck his tongue at her, playfully.

"So what brings you here, Ga Eul yang? And what's that?" he points to the box in her hand. She blushes.

"Oh, this. Right, uh…"Yi Jeong could tell she was double thinking whatever it was she was going to do. Yi Jeong sits up on his bed and pats the place next to him.

"C'mere."

Ga Eul takes a deep breath and walks to his bed. She sits cross legged and plays with the box's cover.

"Okay, so first off, you have to promise not to laugh, okay? I wanted to show this to you on the day of the accident but I couldn't, for obvious reasons, so…" she handed him the box. He slowly opened it. He felt his heart skip a bat as he saw everything inside.

Everything they ever experienced, every memory they had…it was there. Pictures, the scarf he put on her on their first fake date, the handkerchief he gave her when she cried on the pool, the empty bottle of the perfume he bought her on their second fake date, every letter he wrote her…it was all there. He looked up.

"Ga Eul yang…"

"That is my Yi Jeong box." She tells him, refusing to meet his eyes.

"It has reminders of everything we ever did together, from the very beginning to the end. I don't know if that seems stalker-ish or something but…" Yi Jeong puts his finger to her chin and lifts it up.

"I love it, Ga Eul yang." She smiles that bright smile of hers and it was hard for Yi Jeong not to do the same.

"I wanted to give that to you because, well, I wanted to show you that even if for the past four years that you were gone I wanted to shoot you, I never stopped remembering. And I never will." Yi Jeong couldn't help it anymore. He was just feeling so much at that moment for this girl in front of him…care, gratefulness, admiration. He leaned forward, meeting Ga Eul's lips with his. It was very fast, just a peck but Yi Jeong doesn't think he's had a kiss that good, ever. He pulls back and sees Ga Eul's flustered face.

"Sunbae…"

"I'm sorry, Ga Eul yang, but I had to do that. You…you're just amazing." He admitted nervously. Ga Eul blushed even more.

"Sunbae, I…" but Yi Jeong cut her off again. There was still one thing he had to say, something he's never said to her before. Something he's never said to anyone before…

"Wait, I need to say something first…"

"No, sunbae, you don't need to apologize anymore…"

"I'm not going to; I just need you to know…"

"Oh my gosh, you did think it was stalker-ish! Oh…"

"No, it's not that, Ga Eul yang…"

"Then why did you tell me you liked it?" Ga Eul wasn't even listening to Yi Jeong anymore so he silenced her with his hand.

"I did like it. Would you listen to what I'm going to say?"

"Fine! What is it, sunbae? And you don't need…"

"I love you."

"What?" Ga Eul couldn't process much anymore after he dropped those words. Did he…did he just tell her…

"You're making me say it again?" Ga Eul nods slowly. What if she heard him wrong? Yi Jeong takes a deep breath.

"I love you, Ga Eul yang. It seems out of character for me to say it out of the blue but I had to put it out there." Ga Eul nods once again, she still couldn't let his words sink in.

"It would be nice for you to say something, Ga Eul yang. But not 'thank you'. Oh God, please not 'thank you'…" his blabbering snapped Ga Eul from her trance. She smiled widely at him.

"Thank you." It was her turn to lean in and place her lips on his. Yi Jeong was taken aback but not for long as he kissed her back eagerly. They broke the kiss in need for air.

"And I love you too."


	17. Chapter 17

Ga Eul woke up to the vibration on her chest. She was gripping her phone tightly in her sleep, pressing it to her chest. She hadn't realized she fell asleep that way. Her phone was ringing non stop and the vibration was…uh, disturbing. Who would be calling at this hour, anyway? She checked her bedside clock before answering. It was exactly midnight.

"Hello?" she muttered sleepily into her cell phone, not bothering to check who it was.

"Ga Eul yang," the familiar voice fully woke her up. She sat up on her bed, straight up. Why was he calling at this time? He was supposed to be on an out of town business trip. He wasn't set to return for two more days.

"Sunbae?"

"You don't sound so happy hearing from me." Ga Eul could almost see the pout that was forming on his lips. He so learned that from her.

"No, I'm just surprised is all…I don't know what time it is there, sunbae but its pretty late here." She told him. She propped her legs to her shoulders, enjoying his company even just through the phone. She missed him. He left three days ago, just hardly two weeks after his accident.

"I know." He told her simply.

"Of course you do, I can't imagine you not knowing about the time difference in different countries considering you've lived in Sweden for four years." It was funny how she said that minus the bitterness. It was different for them now, somehow the four years seized to matter when they exchanged those three words. It was cheesy and incredibly corny and cliché, but it was true.

"No, I mean…I really do know."

"What do you mean?" she asked curiously. He was speaking in an unusually mysterious tone.

"Ga Eul yang," he didn't answer her question. She wasn't surprised.

"Sunbae? What is it?"

"Happy birthday." Ga Eul felt her heart melt into a puddle as she realized the significance of midnight. It was her birthday, and he was on the phone. She finally got her freakin' birthday call.

"Sunbae, I…thank you." That was all she could say, really. She looked back on her last four birthdays but not with bitterness anymore, somehow all those years without his call made this one all the more special.

"You really didn't think I'd forget, did you?" Ga Eul smiled to herself. He's been so great to her lately. Always bringing her lunch to work and taking her places, all while hopping on one foot.

"Well, for the last four years…" she meant to say it a joke, but Yi Jeong's line went quiet and Ga Eul clamped her moth shut.

"Ga Eul yang…"

"No, no…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." Yi Jeong didn't see it but she was hitting her head now. She was such a big mouth at times.

"It's fine, Ga Eul yang. I totally deserve the occasional 'in your face'" Ga Eul laughed slightly. His tone was light again.

"I miss you, by the way. What were you doing when I called?" Ga Eul could practically hear the smirk on his face.

"I was asleep, sunbae. Couldn't you wait to call at a reasonable hour?" she joked.

"Well, I'm making up for lost birthdays, Ga Eul yang." GA Eul smiled but couldn't help the sting in her heart. It would have been a perfect one if he was actually there. But he said the business trip was important and she would never make him choose between her and his career.

"What time is it there, sunbae?" she asked.

"It's…a few minutes after midnight, I think." Ga Eul scrunched her eyebrows. It couldn't be the same time for the both of them, as far as she remembered he was somewhere in America.

"You're probably looking at your Korean time, sunbae." She told him, Yi Jeong probably really did miss her if he didn't even have the presence of mind to look at the right clock.

"Of course I am." At that moment, Ga Eul heard a knock on her…window? Keeping the phone to her ear, she walked slowly to her still draped curtains. She slowly opened the curtains and screamed to the phone when she saw a handsome face smiling at her.

"Ahh! Ga Eul yang, are you trying to kill me?" he said to the phone. She quickly opened her window to let him. She cracked open a small space first before sticking out her head so she was face to face with him.

"You can't come in without gifts." She said, jokingly. He replied with a surprise kiss on her lips.

"Sunbae!" she blushed deep red. Deep, deep red.

"What, I can't kiss my girlfriend?" she still wasn't used to being called that. And the smirk on his face didn't really help my embarrassment.

"Anymore smooth words from you and you're not getting in, mister." She stuck her tongue at him. He smiled, but as much as he would love to continue their cute little banter, his arms were turning numb from all the hanging.

"Ga Eul yang, if I promise not to get into another accident again, would you let me in? Or would you rather I get another trip to the hospital, this time by falling off a window?" Ga Eul laughed at his compromise. She opened it fully and let him in.

"What are you doing here? I thought you had a very important trip?" she asked as soon as he was all the way in.

"No, I said it was important. _This _is very important." He cupped her face with his hands and there was her heart again, melting into a big useless puddle. Damn Yi Jeong!

"I'm glad you're here." was all she could say before his lips crashed into hers. Ga Eul was taken aback by the impact then started to relax into it. His kiss was nothing like she knew; he was gentle and passionate at the same time. It was such a rush for her so anyone could imagine her disappointment when they broke free for air.

"I have this for you." He took out a purple flower from her coat jacket and handed it to her. She smiled at her now favorite flower.

"I actually have two bouquets in the car but I figured if I brought those while climbing up…well, I wouldn't want you to get jealous of the nurses or anything." He was smirking and Ga Eul just wanted to kiss, uh, slap that from his face.

"Why did you go through the window, anyway?" she asked, curiously.

"What fun would it be if I just went through your front door?"

"Is that a romantic side I see in you, sunbae?" she smirked at him. Yi Jeong faked a surprised face.

"I'm always romantic, Ga Eul yang."

"No, you're always smooth and cheesy. But now, with your window climbing activities…you're kind of, sort of romantic." Yi Jeong had to smile at her cute way of defining him. He kind of, sort of liked it.

"So what do I get that from doing that epic act of love?" he walked to her bed, sitting down. He took a pillow and hugged it to his chest, while giving her a pout she knew too well.

"Well, you can consider me officially won back."

--

"And then what happened?" the little girl looked up in delight at her mother who was sitting next to her on her bed.

"What are my two favorite girls doing?" came Yi Jeong's voice as he sat on the other side of their daughter. The little girl gave her father an equally bright smile.

"Mom's telling me _your_ story!"

"Oh, did she tell you how she practically begged me to have her?" Yi Jeong said, teasingly, earning a smack from Ga Eul. After almost ten years of marriage, she still hit as hard.

"More like you _crying_ for me to take you back." she teased back. The little girl between them couldn't help but laugh at her silly parents.

"Is that what you've been telling our daughter?"

"Yeah, I haven't even got to the part when you sang to me in the rain, complete with boom box and all…" Ga Eul faked a dreamy expression then sighed. Yi Jeong turned his attention to their amused daughter.

"I wouldn't believe everything your mom tells you, sweetheart. She's kind of…"

"You wouldn't want to continue that, So Yi Jeong." Yi Jeong laughed at his wife. He loved moments like this with his family, just them.

"Wait, I want to know how it ends!" Milly's little voice screamed through her parents' banters.

"Happily ever after, right?" she smiled at the both of them. She really didn't need to be told about the ending. The look her parents shared said it all.

"You can bet on that, sweetie."


End file.
